Beautiful Blades
by The Evil Critic From Hell
Summary: Dark is a cocky, intrusive, handsome young man who comes to Hyrule on diplomatic mission who finds himself falling hard for Princess Zelda. Thanks to his noisy nature, he quickly learns that Princess Zelda is not Zelda, but rather a young man named Link. Dark finds himself in a web of secrets as he tries to protect Link and come to terms with his love for him. Yaoi Dark Link X Link
1. Concerning Princesses

_Old Summary: Thanks to a tragic accident, Link is now forced to be Princess Zelda. Therefore, growing up as a girl, he is more girl than boy mentally. The only comfort he finds in life is his sparring. But if he is found out, he will be killed. And when Dark, a handsome young man from Labrynna decides enters his life, things only get worse. What's more, just what is going on beyond the walls of Hyrule... WARNING: Yaoi, shaunen-ai, murder, blood, gore. Don't not read just because it does have boyXboy. There is a lot more in this story than just romance. _

_Updated Summary 2015: Dark is a cocky, intrusive, handsome young man who comes to Hyrule on diplomatic mission from his home country, Labrynna, who finds himself falling hard for the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda. Thanks to his noisy nature, he quickly learns the truth: that Princess Zelda is not Zelda, but rather a young man named Link. Dark finds himself in a whirlwind of secrets as he tries to protect Link from being discovered for who he is, as well as come to terms with his love for him. _

**I feel that I must warn you that Dark Link isn't what you normally think. He's a bit more human, and actually just looks very similar to Link, rather than identical. Thank you.  
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**Beautiful Blades**

Chapter 1: Concerning Princesses and Mysterious Dancing Fighters

If one was to ask about the country of Hyrule, they would get mostly positive responses. Some of these responses include its resources and beautiful, infamous landmarks. There is the great Lake Hylia, said to have the clearest, crystal-like water in possibly the world, but the world was so vast that there was no one who had the means to compare the waters between this lake and elsewhere, so this claim is mostly assumed. This large lake provides the rest of Hyrule with fresh water and fish, for those who are fond of fish of course, and a beautiful tourist site for both citizens and visitors. This attraction, however, irritated the Zora, a graceful race of humanoid fish-like people. This shy but strong race lived in the lake's waters, but based farther up the river, where their Queen or King ruled peacefully over their people. They are not an aggressive race, but they are not fond of people coming to stare at their home constantly and rudely, as some have added, and then leaving litter around the lake bed. It can be noted that on several occasions empty bottles have been fished out of the water, which while this is useful to the people who manage to snag such a treasure, when it sits on the bottom of the lake it has proven to be nothing more than a worthless piece of unwanted scenery.

Of course, many mountains surrounded Hyrule, enclosing the great country within a wall of safety, making it difficult for enemy armies, of which the country had none, to simply waltz into the land and cause war. It is difficult, and dangerous, to cross over these mountains, but they are pimples on the earth against the greatest of them all: Death Mountain. As its lovely name would suggest, this monstrous mountain has proven to be fatal to climb to the weak of heart, which is why those who have settled up higher on the mountain are the Gorons, a race of people of the earth, large creatures mostly made of stone than flesh. They are a proud race, taller than humans and stout, with muscles of steal, literally. They are loyal and kind creatures, known for their strange but obvious love for hot-springs, and bone-crushing hugs. There was once a warning placed by the trail to Death Mountain, put there by a small boy who had written: Avoid hugs at all costs. Whether he experienced these hugs or not is left for questioning. But Death Mountain, by any stretch of the imagination, was large. Very, very large, and is often prone to small bursts of volcanic activity, of which causes a tempest to rain from the sky.

While Hyrule contains many more races and unique places, one place that everyone whispers about is the great forest, The Lost Woods. Once again, as the namesake would suggest, there are whispers that this forest consumes those who dare to enter below the shade of the trees. Once you enter, some say, you are never to return. Whether this is true or not, no one knows for sure, because no one has returned yet to tell the tale of their great escape. The woods shelter, however, one race who has mastered its confusing maze: the Kokiri. There is not much known about them, except they are considered fairy children who never age, remaining a ten year old child for hundreds of years. This forest is also said to have touched every part of Hyrule, and no matter where you go, you will always see that forest shadowing your back.

Of course, this is asking the people of Hyrule, and any visitors who have come to the land. Hylians have bias view, which is logical because they live on the land, but to be fair their view is virtually identical to that of those who visit, so it brings up the wonder of just what Hyrule is like.

But if we were to ask the opinion of a young boy, fourteen of age, soon to be fifteen, he would stare at you quietly, carefully judging his response. You may start to feel awkward before he would answer, of which would be something along the lines of this: Hyrule is nothing special.

Odd thing for a young Hylian to say, but given his circumstances, you would never hear those words come out of his mouth. In fact, you would hear: "Hyrule is a beautiful and wonderful land!"

Of course, you wouldn't even hear them from his mouth, or at least as a boy.

You would believe you were talking to a girl. A pretty girl, as some would state.

In fact, you would believe you were talking to the Princess of Hyrule.

Link was no older than five when his life changed forever. Actually, he was celebrating his birthday that night, a small party with his family, consisting of his father and mother, and a dear friend of the same age.

His father was a Knight of Hyrule, considered one the best and brightest, and a close, personal friend to the King of Hyrule himself. Princess Zelda, age five, and Link, age four, soon to be five, had met before. It could be noted, and has been by visitors, guards, and the Royal Family themselves that both children looked oddly identical. In fact, if you were to dress Link up as a girl, or Zelda as a boy, they could pass for twins. Easily. The children did not find this amusing, and refused to take part in such conversations, preferring to play in the mud (much to the Queen's horror) or other various activities.

That day, Link's father had met with the Royal Family, discussing matters Link couldn't comprehend. This did not matter, since Link was at the house anyways, preparing to have his party. He cleaned house, bounced off the walls with excitement, and attempted to bake his own bread for the dinner. His mother, bless her heart, decided to give him a shot, which resulted in burnt dough.

When Link's father came home, he merely laughed at his son's attempts, patting him on the head.

"Son, I believe you are more a fighter than a baker!"

This is quite true. Actually, Link was considered a prodigy of the sword. The first time he pick up a sword (really more of a dagger), age four, he swung the sword exactly like his father had done moments earlier. It was a perfect swing. His father, realizing his son's talents, decided to let his son begin training at five, which the youngster knew and looked forward to with all his heart.

However, Link felt rather hurt on the subject of his cooking skills, and still wanted bread. Laughing, his parents sent him out to get some, and he waved good-bye to his friend and family as he ran to the nearest store, about ten minutes away.

When he returned, the house was on fire.

No one knows what really happened next. But the next day after the fire, soldiers came to search the ruins. Within the ashes they found three bodies: a man, a woman, and a child. It was believed, and correctly assumed, to be Link's parents.

But the child was a mystery. For it could not be Link, as he was found huddling in an alley not far from the house, hugging the bread he had gone out to buy. That bread had saved his life. Ironically, this concept lies in correspondence with a religion based in a far away land, but this is of no importance. That bread had also torn him away from his family.

The men took the boy back to the castle, were mass chaos reigned supreme. The King's younger brother, the Prince of Hyrule, uncle to Princess Zelda, had vanished over night, with bloodstains left on his bedsheets. The King and Princess appeared to be safe, but the King was mentally affected, both by the loss of his brother and of his best friend, or as some have claimed.

The King now feared for his daughter's safety. The Prince had not been in line to rule, and was slaughtered nonetheless. The princess herself could be in possible grave danger.

So when the King saw the boy, an idea came to him, an idea that would change the life of Link forever, that would virtually wipe him out of existence. Only a selected few would know the truth. Only a selected few would understand what had happened in the secrecy of that throne room.

Link soon found himself as a double for the princess. He had to become her, study what she studied, learn what she can do. He would be her face to the public. And be the shield for unwanted assassins. He was no longer allowed to live as a boy.

Before he left the throne room, the King stopped him. "Boy, there is one last thing you must remember. No one may ever know you existed. Link is dead. Link died in the fire. You are Princess Zelda. You are a girl."

"And if anyone is to find out about your secret, you will have no reason to live anymore."

* * *

><p><em>Ten Years Later<em>

Dark had arrived in Hyrule only a day earlier, and he already hated every minute of it.

He had heard of the beautiful scenery of Lake Hylia and magnificent glory of Death Mountains, the mystery of the Lost Woods, and the other various places this land beheld. He had heard of the scorching winds of the Desert, and the cold fear of the Peak Providence. But he didn't get a chance to see these sights, as he was here on a diplomatic mission. A mission, he kept silently to himself, that was a virtual waste of time. But he didn't dare say that here in Hyrule, and not in front of his master, whom he feared more than the masses of Hyrule itself.

He sighed, leaning out of the window of his hotel room which resides in Castle Town. Because they were not of royalty, they did not have a place up at the castle of which they were welcomed at. As this might seem rather odd, it was actually his Master's request that they have a nice place within the town. "Dark," he had said, "this is a chance for you to see and understand Hylian culture. After all, a personal guard of the Labrynna Royal Family should be able to understand foreigners' points of view. It is important to sympathize."

Dark just sulked. He would much rather be by the Prince's side, whom he was best friends with. But it was because of the Prince's illness that Dark found himself here in Hyrule alone with his Master. Unable to travel, the Prince asked Dark to attend Princess Zelda's fifteen birthday party, as it was a huge, important gathering to celebrate an important leader's coming of age day. Dark promised, but he grumbled all the way across the mountains.

He knew why the King had invited everyone to such an event that actually wasn't that important as everyone made it out to be. Ever since ten years ago, the King has not been right in the head, as the rumors claim. It was known that prior to the death of the King's brother, Hyrule was preparing to make peace with the Gerudo, a race of beautiful women who were known for their talents in thievery. Their current leader, Ganondorf, wished for the hundred of years long feud to end, and so did the King of Hyrule. A huge meeting had been arranged for the two leaders to meet up, and sign a peace treaty at last.

But then the King's brother vanished, and their best Knight and his entire family, including their son, had died in a large fire. Dark had heard the son was suppose to be a prodigy at swordplay, and he wished he could have had the chance to meet that boy in person.

But that was impossible now, wasn't it?

Dark didn't dwell on it too much. But he knew that relationships between the Gerudo and Hyrule have been edgy, to say in the least, over the past decade, and other countries also questioned Hyrule's honesty after they turned their back on the Gerudo. Despite claims that the Gerudo are to blame for these deaths, people wondered what the Gerudo had to gain from killing these people when they were so close to peace.

The party was a few days away, and Dark was bored. He had already searched Castle Town, and he found he missed the Prince, his quiet and calming personality. It had always soothed Dark. But he was stuck with…

The door slammed opened, and Dark sighed. Speak of the devil. Literally.

A large man entered the room, a serious look on his face. In his late 30s, he was slightly balding, and a little large around the waist and in the face. Despite the little fat, underneath was muscles of iron, and Dark wouldn't doubt if they could rival the Goron's strength. A sword was strapped at the man's waist, and on his chest was a pin with the Labrynna Royal Seal, proof of his status as the current King's Personal Guard.

He towered over his pupil, glaring down at him. Dark glared back up at him in return. Dark was a shorter boy of sixteen, but wide in the shoulders and strong in both mind and muscle. His red eyes sometimes were hidden under the mass of black hair, which he sometimes tied back into a small ponytail. He wore a black tunic with leggings and dark brown boots, and a black cap on his head. Around his waist he also had his own sword. He lacked the pin his Master had. He had yet to reached that status, despite being a personal guard in training.

"Boy!" his Master boomed over him, "Where have you been? Not sulking up in this dark room, I hope?"

Dark grinned, thinking of a witting comeback to say, but decided against it. "No, sir. I simply came back to rest."

His Master snorted. "Rest my ass. You have been sulking like a girl the entire trip. 'Oh, Prince, why did you have to be sick?' 'Oh, poor me!'"

Dark's face momentary darkened. "I did not say that!" Or at least, he didn't _sound_ like that.

His Master sat on the bed. "Listen, kid, you need to understand that this trip is important. Relations with Hyrule have been poor, and Labrynna needs Hyrule's support. Resources are scarce, and Hyrule supplies them. So you _will_ go to this party with a smile on your face, or I will take this sword and carve one on your face for you."

"Ok! I get the message!"

"Good." His Master sat back down, and removed the sword from his waist. Taking out a cloth from a pouch around his waist, he started to polish the smooth metal, working out the smudges that had collected over the day.

Dark went back to the window to collect his thoughts. It was true he was whining, and he shouldn't be doing so. He did act like a little girl, the way he bickered about his predicament. It was not something he was proud of, but it hurt that his Master had to make a huge point out of this. He sighed.

His Master caught heard the sigh, thinking it directed towards him for scolding Dark, and he grabbed the nearest heavy object to throw: a book.

It landed with a thud on the back of his skull. "OW! Hey!"

"No sighing, or else that will be ten laps around the town!"

Dark scowled, but he did not sigh after that.

* * *

><p>The clock struck 10 when Dark's Master fell asleep on his bed, with Dark still up, reading the book that had hit his head earlier. It was rather a fascinating book, a novel about a shadow with a soul. He laughed inwardly at the concept, though. How ridiculous.<p>

He glanced up, seeing his Master still in his clothes snoring away on the bed. Dark only stared for a moment, waiting to see if there was any movement to suggest he was partially awake. There was none.

Dark put down his book, and carefully made his way over to his Master's bed. His Master just snored. Ever so slowly, Dark dared to poke his Master's face. He jumped back as soon as his skin contacted the rough beard.

Nothing.

Grinning, Dark tip-toed out of the room. As soon as the door closed behind him, he ran down the hall, down the stairs, and out into the street.

Truthfully, Dark only left just to laugh in his Master's face, to prove that he can do whatever he wants, and that his Master can't do a thing about it. He had nowhere to go, and nothing to do. He had very little spending money with him. Even better, he had no idea where to go.

And after a few minutes of wandering, he was totally lost.

Feeling like the greatest idiot in the world, he leaned against a wall, sighing angrily. He did miss the Prince, but he was excited for this trip. Hyrule was a beautiful place. Everyone was basically nice here.

He just had a bad attitude about the whole thing. Mostly because he was bored as well. Dark longed to talk with someone his age. He had spent ten weeks with a balding man who lived by the sword and bacon. Dark enjoyed his spars with his Master, but conversations were dull, if not lacking.

Dark loved to fight. The thrill, the excitement, the rush of adrenaline through his body as swords collide. He used to spar with the Prince back at home.

He sighed again. He missed those duels.

Suddenly, as if answered by the gods themselves, he noticed two men rush by. They were hooded, and moved carefully, as if afraid to be seen. He watched them, his black tunic blending with the shadows of night.

The men halted by an alley, heads on swivel as they searched the street. Empty of guards. Nodding to each other, the men scurried into the darkness, disappearing.

Dark didn't even blink. Also quickly glancing around for guards, he followed them, curious to see what was so fascinating about this alley that these men would risk being caught. It had to be something interesting. Dark grinned, suddenly excited.

He noticed that the alley descended downwards, so he moved carefully down the steps. It was too dark to see, so he guided himself by running his fingers against the grimy wall. He felt a few webs entangle with his hands, and he shook them off calmly before continuing.

As he continued, after what felt like ten minutes, he could hear distant shouts, and muffled cheers of excitement. Curious beyond control, Dark took a risk and began to sprint down the alley, dangerously skipping every two steps. The cheers were louder now, and there was a definite clang of weapons.

Seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, he turned the corner to see the most amazing sight.

A secret battle arena. And not just any battle arena, he realized, but an illegally hosted one. It was forbidden to fight for sport outside of officially held events in Hyrule, and he had heard from Hylians who lived in Labyrnna that there were often illegal spars that take place in tournaments such as the one he was looking at now.

He smiled. Now this should be fun!

He looked at the stands. Surprisingly, they were rather full. The arena was dimly lit with a multiple, lanterns with weak flames that hung from the ceiling, which were mostly above the arena itself. Most of the stone stands stood in darkness. The ceiling was rough with cracks and ribbons of spaces threatening to collapse the entire place. But it was obvious nobody really cared.

Dark took a seat in the stands as well. It was a pretty decent seat, not too far from the arena but not close enough for flying weapons or debris to come unwanted at Dark's face.

The current battle was over, and the winner, a large buff man with an eye patch over the left eye, and no shirt, Dark noticed, pounded his chest like an ape, then walked off the stage. Dark raised an eyebrow at his behavior.

Another man stepped forward. He wore a loose-fitting black outfit with no shoes, and his bald head practically shone in the dim light.

"And it looks like Mr. Konos was beaten Mr. Paul! What a fight folks! But it looks like the crowd favorite is up next, the sword master wonder, Lefus!"

At the words "sword master" Dark's attention was caught. He looked at the sword master. He was another large buff man, grossly buff, Dark thought with disgust. In his hands he gripped a worn-out looking sword. Dark could see his veins practically pop out of his hand he was gripping the handle so hard. _And here I thought he was a master. What kind of "master" of swordplay tries to strangle his own sword?_

"And his opponent this round, the ever wonderful Lee!" Lee, as it turned out, was a smaller, skinner man who was also with a sword. He looked terrified of Lefus.

Dark lost interest, enough where he didn't even watch the fight to see Lefus cream Lee. He wasn't interested in unnaturally large men practically eat their opponents alive. There was no talent behind it, only brawn and muscle. It was sickening to watch, uninteresting.

Dark signed. This was a waste of time again. He barely watched the next two fights, which brought Lefus up to the final round.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Believe or not, but we are at this week's final round! This week's winner," he pointed to Lefus, who roared with triumph. The crowd went wild. Dark yawned.

"VS the nine year champion, the Graceful Mask! The masked wonder whose name he refuses to tell has been undefeated for nine years! What an amazing feat folks! But will this change today? Let's find out!"

Dark took a look, interested to see who this nine year champions was. If he has been in this tournament for nine years, then he must be one another one of those huge men who rely on their strength to win, with a stupid mask to boot. He watched the Graceful Mask walk on.

Instead, to his surprise, a boy about his age walked on. He could tell by his body build. The boy was slight, with small shoulders, tiny wrists, and skinny arms. He was about Dark's height, give or take a few inches, making him of average height, and he had semi-long, golden hair. It was beautiful, catching the light of the lanterns so it shone softly. His ears were pierced with blue earrings, with protruded out from behind a mask shaped like a yellow fox. A Keaton, Dark recognized. The boy wore a simple green tunic.

In the boy's hand he held a small blade. It was rather unimpressive looking, dented and worn from years of use. Strands of missing decoration hung from the end of the hilt.

The crowd went nuts, and Dark himself felt excited. If this boy was about his age, then he has been champion since he was six or seven. Even to Dark, that sounded impossible. He was curious to see just how this fight will go down.

The bell rung for the fight to start, and Lefus instantly charged. Roaring, he ran towards the boy, waving his sword ridiculously in the air. Dark snorted at the sight.

The boy was unfazed. As the man towered in front of him, he swung down his sword to hit the boy. The crowd gasped. A lot of energy had been put into that one attack, and it was fast.

And to everyone's surprise, or for those who have come here often, expectantly, the boy dodged.

Dark stopped to stare. That dodge…

It was obvious Lefus had expected something to hit as he almost lost his balance. He turned to see the boy standing quietly behind him. His eyebrow twitched. The boy was too cheeky for his own good. He lifted his sword, and attacked again.

Once more, the boy dodged.

Dark was standing up now. He was lost for words. Those dodges… they were in total control. Every part of that boy's body moved exactly how he wanted it to move, at the exact moment it should. Not only that, the boy was dancing.

Dancing. Literally dancing as he dodged. His dodging WAS his dancing, and it was a graceful and an amazing sight to watch. Lefus kept at his assault, and the boy kept dancing out of the way.

Dark couldn't stop watching. This… is what he was looking for. This was a real fighter who knew exactly what he was doing. And he's been doing it for nine years.

Lefus was breathing hard now, and his attacks were slower. He looked angrily at the boy. "Stop…moving… huff huff…"

The boy said nothing.

Lefuf, yelling once more, lifted his sword and brought it down it attack the boy's head. Dark watched as the boy did something totally different.

He lifted his sword at last to block. The interception rang throughout the arena, and the crowd kept cheering. It was fantastic! Perfectly in time with the flow! What a show!

Lefus looked shocked. The boy's expression stayed hidden behind the mask.

Then, turning on his heel, the boy spun around and kicked the man square in the stomach. The wind knocked out of him, Lefus cried out and leaned forward, allowing the boy to finish his final blow. Taking the hilt of his sword he brought it down in Lefus's exposed neck. The large man crumbled to the ground.

The crowed was silent for a moment. There had been no blood, no epic endings to the fight. The boy, without effort, took down the large man.

The crowd went wild, Dark with them. He clapped for the boy, and laughed as two men dragged off Lefus, the man mumbling in his sleep. Dark couldn't stop grinning. That was beautiful! What beautiful skill, something Dark wished to practice with! Yes, he wanted to fight the Graceful Mask!

Who was gone.

"Aaannnddd it looks like our mysterious champion has run off again. I can't help but wonder where that boy goes. But it does go to show that anybody can win this tournament! Well, folks, I'll see you next week, and remember! Don't tell a soul about this arena!"

The crowd cheered, some laughed, and they began to disperse. Dark did not join them. He began searching for the boy. Where did he go?

Dark's red eyes searched wildly for the boy, looking for a slim figure perhaps darting through the large crowd, but he saw nothing. Cursing, he noticed the announcer still standing around, confirming that the people were indeed leaving his arena. Dark ran on stage, and grabbed the announcer by the collar. "Hey, you!"

"Kid, let me go! I'm not going anywhere!" the man proclaimed, surprised by the sudden attack.

Dark cut right to the chase. He was afraid he would lose the boy if he wasted to much time chatting. "Do you know where I can find that kid? The champion?"

The man smirked. "Why do you need to know?"

"Just answer the question!"Dark growled warningly, fearing it was too late now.

The announcer managed to pull away from Dark's grip. Straightening his clothes, he frowned. "Look, kid, no one knows, nor does anyone really care. All anyone here gives a damn about are fights, and that kid can give one hell of a fight. Of course, that Lefus freak was small fry compared to other fighters I've seen that kid battle, and he's pulled through amazingly."

Dark folded his arms. "Surely you people know!"

The man shook his head. "Sorry, boy, I don't." Dark hissed angrily, and turned away.

Damn, just when he thought he found a fun sparring partner, he vanished literally under his nose. And no one seems to know where the hell this kid goes, much less who he is, as far as he could tell. He was so graceful, so talented… Dark wanted to fight that talent. He wanted to. Finally, he had something to do in this town!

He thought about his Master. He wouldn't approve of this, but Dark didn't care. His Master also didn't approve of cabbage, for whatever odd reason.

Dark made a decision right there and then. He would find the Graceful Mask. And he would fight him in a fun, fair fight. And he planned to win.

* * *

><p>Link sat by the window of his bedroom, looking out towards the stars at Orion, his favorite constellation. He had changed into his nightgown, a pink frilly pattern made from silk, and had taken off his wig, letting his golden hair fall past his shoulders. He had already hidden his fighting gear behind the large stone brick, securing its safety.<p>

Link checked his wrist, making sure there was no bruise from the fight. He had accidentally twisted it when he smashed his sword into the poor man's head. He hoped the man was ok, but Link was currently more concerned for his own well-being.

He nodded, satisfied. He seemed to be ok. He couldn't show any signs of the fight that night. Any proof that he disobeyed the King's orders will have undesirable consequences.

Link still remembered his orders. Never let anyone find out who he really was. He is Princess Zelda. He is a woman. Or, _she _is a woman.

And under no circumstances may he ever fight again. The king had made that clear. No swordplay, he had said. You must never hold a sword again. If you do, then you will have disobeyed me.

Link could still see the King's face as he finished his speech.

"And then your life will be forfeited."

* * *

><p><strong>Well, everyone, thank you for reading this ridiculous long chapter. I'm afraid it isn't fantastic, but I wanted it up today. I hoped you enjoyed, and look forward to more future chapters. I ask that you review so I know that I have readers out there. Please. Thank you.<strong>

**Oh, and here, this also counts for the rest of the story: Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Zelda except my OCs. Thank you. **


	2. Problem with Sheikah

**Please forgive errors in spelling, my grammar check stopped working, and I'm a terrible speller. Thank you.**

* * *

><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 2: Problem With Sheikah, and Other Great Mistakes

Sheikah are a curious race that have lived in secret virtually next door to the Hylians, many of whom were unaware of their quiet neighbors. Ironically, this unawareness is exactly why the Sheikah are often forgotten to be invited to parties, much to the irritation of the younger Sheikah. In fact, over the past twenty years, there has been only one Sheikah who has attended an actual party, not just some formal arrangement put together by the Royal Family. The other Sheikah were not as lucky, a large part of reasons that played into this was the mere fact they have been missing for at least a decade. That one Sheikah is probably the reason why Sheikah don't go to parties anyways, because no one knows what happened to him later, and no one wants to take that risk.

If one was to ask around Hyrule inquiring about this race of Shadow People, very little would be found, much to the shock of some who lack the ability to understand the concept of "Shadow People." The Zora and Gorons would probably tell you a few legends about this race, some including a giant monster with its hands severed from its body, as many claim as total bogus. Ask the Kokiri, if you can manage to find them, and they will laugh at you and throw unpleasant objects at your face, which will most likely result in smearing of something awful. However, if you were to ask the Hylians, they would all describe a race of super-humans with the ability to vanish in plain sight, blend with the shadows, and other various powers. If you were to ask the Hylian Royal Family, if you were lucky enough to get the chance to converse in such small talk with them, they would laugh and describe the Sheikah as a branch of the Hylian race, a difference only being in their eyes. Sheikah have deep, red eyes, a trait that they all share. Beyond that, they did excel at magic, and were very capable warriors. In the Royal Family's definition of capable, it means avoid at all costs, because you would be slaughtered.

Interestingly, if you asked a Sheikah about themselves, they would most likely pointed off in the distance at a rare invisible bird, where they will then proceed to magically vanish in plain sight with your back turned, leaving you to wonder about Hyrule's tendencies to produce species of invisible creatures.

And it was this very background Dark cursed over and over again since his arrival in Hyrule.

From the moment he walked into the castle's town, wandering eyes have watched him, some as a passing glance as if surprised, others who stared but tried to hide it, and finally the rest who just outright watched him like an animal in a circus. He barely had the willpower to hold back flicking them off. Since he was here on diplomatic reasons, he had to behave himself, ignoring the night he had snuck off to enjoy a little brawl.

At first, he didn't understand why people stared at him so intently, some not even bothering to look away when he noticed. Unused to the unnatural attention, he had turned to his Master, who simply laughed at his pupil.

"Boy, it's your eyes. Red isn't common, and here signifies relation to the Sheikah."

Dark had found himself curious. "Sheikah?"

"Aye. A race of humans with deep red eyes, said to have mysterious powers. But from what I hear they have been missing for nearly ten years, not long after the assassination of the King's brother. Some say the Sheikah are to blame, and others believe the Sheikah were commanded by the king to pursue the murderer, and has been unable to catch them yet. If people here think you are a Sheikah with those red eyes of yours, then you are bound to attract attention!"

Dark was afraid of what kind of attraction that would mean.

He had spent the next day asking passing Hylians just what the Sheikah were. He got strange looks, as if he was asking if he was male or not, or if empty bottles on the lake's floor was attractive scenery. However, he insisted, and he amazing got responses that suggest that the Sheikah were a race of super-humans.

He was not amused. He was quite irritated, actually, by the fact people simply assumed what he was by the looks of his eyes. He had expressed this feeling to his Master, which he later came to regret.

His Master had laughed. "Listen, kid, I know you're not a Sheikah, but it's time to grow some balls and suck it up!" which caused Dark to blushed slightly at his Master's choice of words.

Dark hadn't always had red eyes, but thanks to a childhood illness, they had strangely changed color. Doctors couldn't explain it, but they told him it wasn't dangerous to his health, and that he would be fine.

Dark wondered if his health would be in danger now, thinking about the Hylians who resented the Sheikah. Those lying damn doctors. His hand hovered slightly over his sword as vicious glances were shot his way.

Eventually, he invested his money in sunglasses. This solved the problem, but now there were rumors of a Sheikah wandering the streets. These rumors followed Dark like a knife in his back. Plus, Dark had a sneaking suspicion that he looked stupid. It wasn't exactly the sunniest weather in the world.

Dark dared not to ask his Master his opinion.

When he had bought his glasses, he quickly slipped them on, hoping to not catch anyone's attention. With his ingenues disguise on, he had snuck back out onto the streets, trying to look as normal as possible. Despite some stares at the use of the glasses for the type of weather that day, he was ignored again. He had smiled happily to himself, silently cheering his success. The prince would think he looked wonderful. His mind wandered to the prince. _I wonder what he is doing, and how he's doing. I hope that cough went away… Oh no, does Lily remember to play chess with him? He will get so bored without…._ His thought were cut short as he bumped directly into a person he failed to see.

"Ah! Oh, I'm sorry!" He had bowed to the person, before looking up at the unlucky person. His heart had sunk as he realized he bumped into a woman. _Oh dear… if Master found out that I actually touched a woman in such a manner…_ His throat had felt the danger of a blade that would threaten him if that was the case.

The woman, however, had simply brushed herself. She was tall and elegant… in fact, she was huge, Dark had never seen a woman so tall before. Her thick black hair hung loose around her shoulders, which she had brushed aside as she straightened her shawl. Her deep dark blue… or was it purple, Dark couldn't remember now, had fallen on him, and she had grinned at his quick and polite apology.

"Well well? What's this? A young boy flustered, hiding something, perhaps?" She had rubbed her chin amusement, her shapely hips swinging up to one side as she shifted her weight on one foot.

Dark had stiffened at her insightful assuming. He had coughed into his hand, trying to look calm. "No ma'am, I…"

She had cut him off, running a hand through her long luscious hair. "Boys are so predictable, specially ones as young as yourself." She had placed that hand on her hip. "Then again, you _are_ almost a man, but such things do not matter." She had then continued to walk by, slowly and proudly, still looking at him with a eerie smile on her face.

"By the way, I think red looks simply smashing on you, my dear. Have fun with the Princess." She had ran a manicured hand over his shoulder as she past.

He had spun around in surprise at her last words, but she had vanished into the crowd. He twisted around, looking, but she was simply gone.

_Hyrule has creepy people… _he had thought as a strange man selling masks walked by. _I should hurry back…_

He looked behind him again in wonder. He wondered how she knew he was acting in a official's place and was attending the big party.

Now, though, he sat in his room, adjusting his collar with a cold glare at his Master. "Master, must I wear this?" The suit seemed far too formal, like something that you would wear to mock the very nature of formal. His normal black tunic was replaced by this odd dark vest over a lighter long sleeve shirt, complete with black pants.

His master hit him on the side of the head. "Of course it is, boy! Tonight is the Princess's birthday party! It's not an occasion to be wearing a filthy tunic! Now shut up and button that top button, before I sew it into your flesh."

Dark quickly buttoned up the top button as his Master combed back what was left of his greasy black hair. "Now, remember boy, be godly polite. Back straight, head up, eyes forward. And don't look like you are either enjoying yourself or bored, you must not give away anything. This is politics, and we must convince the Royal Family to aid our country."

Dark just nodded in understanding, but he was deeply bored inside. He leaned against the window which had a view of the castle and sighed. He didn't want to go there. He wanted to go the opposite way, even if he had to crawl there. _For my prince,_ he said to himself. He would have to do this for His Majesty.

That boy, though, the one from the night… Dark's eyebrows furrowed together as he remembered the breath-taking thrill of the fights. That masked boy, where is he? Who is he? The one thing that was interesting in Dark's life right now, and he didn't even know what his face looked like. Instead, he had to go be polite to a princess… Dark sighed again.

And almost fell out of the window as a heavy book flew into his skull. His master hated sighing.

* * *

><p>Link brushed his hair, working out an annoying knot that seem to persist against the bristles of his brush. He could hear the hair break as he forced the brush through that nasty tangle, and he didn't care, he just wanted to stop brushing his hair. How he wished for it short, but as Princess he wasn't given such an option.<p>

Sitting on the bed with a bored look on her face was the real Princess Zelda herself. She swung her legs back and forth as she watched with little interest as Link tried to fix his hair. She yawned into the back of her hand before standing and walking over.

"You know that for every hair you break my hair is going to have to match, right?"

Link grinned. "Call it revenge for making me kiss the back of that nasty adviser's hand." Zelda folded her arms.

"Come now, you barely even had your lips touch him, what's the problem?"

He just laughed, finally removing the knot. Princess Zelda was one of the few joys in life he had. She was so strong and intelligent, he was jealous of that. But he also admired her greatly. The shit she had to put up with still amazed him to this day.

If anyone thought he had a hard life pretending to be a woman, Zelda had a harder life pretending to not even exist. She lived in a room in the tower very much alone, studying for her future life as Queen. If anyone knew that there were two Zeldas, relatively speaking, then there would be a major uproar. So, Link acted as her double, living her "normal" life. He ate in the presence of others, walked the halls, attended parties, simple stuff that is insanely important.

Princess Zelda, on the other hand, didn't leave her tower, except for a single purpose. Important meetings with officials was her only purpose, meetings that could change the future of her to-be kingdom. With many guards to stop assassins from killing the future Queen, the King didn't mind letting her out of the safety of her room. For her, these meetings meant freedom, and she actually loved to go to them. Odd for a young girl.

At the end of the day, they shared their adventures with each other, and taught each other what they learned so that their knowledge matched. One slip could ruin their great secret. And what's worse, if one of them change physically, a tiny cut or a bruise, or even a broken bone, the other must require the same. They usually asked the other to inflict the injury, trusting each other completely.

It was a wonder no one found out yet, but the King was clear about people entering that tower. Only three people were allowed beyond the tower's entrance door. The King himself, Princess Zelda, and a guard, a kindly fellow who also acted as their maid. The guard was sworn to silence. And no one else dared to enter and disobey their king.

Zelda poked his skull. "You get to celebrate my birthday again, you lucky duck. Pipit said he would bake me a cake again and celebrate with me, but you get to have an elaborate party."

Link was pinning up his hair, frowning at what she was saying. He looked at her through the mirror. "Yes… like we do every year… I don't understand why bring this up now, it's nothing new." He cursed as he misplaced a pin, and took it out to start over.

She blinked, then threw her head back and laughed. "Right, right, sorry! Just… never mind." She waved her hand in front of her. "I'm just being silly."

Smiling that his hair was finally in place, he turned and hugged her. "Zelda, you are not silly at all. It's YOUR birthday, and I'm taking your place… I'm sorry."

It had to be hard for her, but she seemed perfectly fine with it. "Oh, stop it, before you give me tears. We don't even celebrate _your _birthday, and that has to be harder." She put her hands on her hips. "Ok… _What _are you wearing?"

Link looked down at his silken pink dress with bows at every curve. "What? Don't you like it? I though it fit, it doesn't sparkle… You know how much I love bows, I can't help it…"

"Yes, but the color makes me gag, I told you blue is matches your eyes!" She walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a simple silk blue dress with a thin gold belt and gold trim. "This is what you should wear! It's perfect, and makes you look curvy!"

He took the dress carefully, eyebrow raised. "Is it formal enough?" He liked it greatly, such a beautiful deep blue color. His hand ran over the seams as Zelda nodded. "Yes, for sure. Now, put it on quickly, Father will be here soon to take you downstairs… and honestly, you need higher heels!"

Link ushered her out to change in peace. He looked outside the window, seeing the gathering crowd for the birthday of the princess. He sighed deeply. He really didn't want to do this again… He would rather take up his sword. He felt his slightly injured wrist in thought. How wonderful it had felt to be free.

He shook his head. How silly of him, he would never be free. He slipped the dress on as he prepared to be the princess once again.

_Not like anything new was going to happen at this party anyways._

He looked up as Pipit walked in with a huge smile on his face. "Wow, Princess!" He knew who it really us, but he played the part well, pretending to be an innocent bystander in the King's presence, who had just arrived. "Your Father is here. You look beautiful!" Link smiled gently at the compliment. Pipit opened the door further, sweeping an arm in indication to go through. "Your guests are arriving, it's best to go great them now, your Highness."

Link nodded, and walked out after giving Pipit a grateful smile. Their guard was so kind and wonderful, Zelda and himself would be lost without this kind and simple man's help and gentleness. He gave a quick wink to Link, he already had plans for the two of them that night after the party.

The King turned as Link descended the stairs. The older man, with a crop of thick white hair and a matching beard under once warm blue eyes (after his brother's murder he never had the same glow about him), gave a nod. "You look very nice. I would have preferred something more traditional, but time runs short."

Link curtsied. "Sorry, Father," he said softly, his voice matching Zelda's perfectly. Lots of voice training had paid off well, no one could tell the difference except Zelda and Link themselves. Which is a relief, it would be a shame if they couldn't even tell each other apart. The King pulled at his beard in thought.

"Well, come along to greet the guests, a Princess should not be late." The King turned to walk, with Link on his heels. Back straight, eyes forward, avoid revealing emotion... A small smile to show that he wanted to be there. Link repeated these over and over in his head as he followed.

"Yes, Fa-..." he stopped short, his hand flew to his throat in surprise. His rapid halt caught the King's attention, and he turned with genuine concern on his face. "What is it?" Whether this concern was for Link's well-being or concern for assassins was something only the King knew himself.

Link stared at the floor ahead of him, making small sounds with his throat, testing it. _Zelda... Yes Father... My name is Princess Zelda..._ he said softly to himself, as if to check something. Finally, after a few tension-filled moments, he looked up at the King.

"Sorry, Father, it's nothing, I thought I had a cold!" he laughed, tapping his head as if to say, 'Silly me!' He completed this with a goofy smile. The King studied him for a moment before turning again.

"Thank goodness not, then we would have to postpone this party. Now, my dear, remember your presence." He meant remove that grin, which he attempted to say nicely. Link wiped the grin off easily, worry in his heart.

He didn't know what it was, but when he tried to speak to the King, his voice felt... different. Odd, as if the vibrations in his throat were lower. Deeper. He had not sounded like Princess Zelda at all.

He shook his head. _Party... Remember the party. _He put that aside, forgetting it even happened, which was a great mistake for him to make.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey everyone! Thanks for the wonderful reviews. They gave me the determination to go on. <strong>

** I finally broke though my writers block. Finally… only took a few months. But this chapter is so… lazy… and short... Oh well.**

** Anyways, like? Leave a review, subscribe, so on. No point for me to continue to write if no one reads it. Sounds silly, but it's true, no?**


	3. Mask of Lies and How to Uncover Them

**Hello, everyone, I am not dead. Sorry for not updating in forever, I just hit a huge writer's block. I rewrote this chapter several times before I got it in a way I thought I was ok, but I think you will be able to tell the parts that are lazy. Anyways, enjoy chapter three.**

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><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 3: Masks of Lies, and How to Uncover Them

Parties for royals are the most fantastic shows you will ever lay your eyes on. Elaborate dresses, people with status at every turn, all lying and hiding behind a mask of emotions and words. One could say that if you even have half the status these people held on their pinkie finger you would be well off indeed.

Dark was bored. He stood in the corner with a drink in his hand, swirling its contents as his source of amusement. A lot of these people were here to get on the future Queen's good side, not to celebrate the fact that she has turned 15… or was it 16? Dark couldn't even remember, he didn't have the need to remember. He just swirled his drink around and around watching the patterns that formed at the top.

He groaned at his Master, who mingled well with these people, just as greasy as them. He laughed at the worst of jokes and made eyes with the powdered-up woman, who giggled in return and responded with batting eyelashes. Dark didn't share his Master's…. urges for flattery, as one could call them.

So he gave polite nods when he had to, and shook a few hands, but beyond that he stayed as far off in the darkest corner as he could to avoid the dazzling light of these powerful people. It made his blood run cold, the thought of such silly people being extremely powerful, dangerous, and clever. He knew they weren't just being silly. They were wearing a mask on their own true personality. That was how it worked in this day and age, things were barely holding together by a thread, and that delicate balance was at a danger.

He looked up at the castle. The princess should be making her appearance soon. He sighed. He didn't understand the game these royals played, making your guests wait as if it was a way to show just how much higher you stand above them. As if they were too good to be there to greet them when they arrived, you have to have them greet you when you arrive to your own party. Ridiculous, Dark thought to himself. The Prince never did such things, he liked to be the first one there to any party.

He pulled back a stray hair, preparing for another sigh, when several guards suddenly came out of the opening gate doors, lining up in single files with swords at their waists. He blinked in surprise, his drink coming to a halt in his hand. He wasn't the only one, everyone else turned to see the arriving welcome committee, their laughter and small talk coming to slow halts.

His Master finally found him, and he came over quickly. Dark put on his best face, trying to look pleasant to avoid punishment later that night.

"What are you doing here, the princess is arriving, and you are hiding over here like a child. You need to greet her properly."

Dark watched his master move away towards the crowd, and he rolled his eyes. It didn't matter if he met the Princess now or later, really. He and Master would be staying a few days for negotiations, he would have time for introductions then.  
>Then again, not doing as the Master asked would bring… undesirable results.<p>

Dark gave a heavy sigh as he started to make his way to where the Princess would be. His thoughts elsewhere, he did not see a large man block his way, and within moments walked right into him. With a grunt he took a few surprised steps backwards.

"Ah, I'm so sorry!" Dark exclaimed, giving a slight bow. The man turned, a surprised and slightly angered expression on his face. He was a tall but skinny, his face almost seemed hollow of happy expression and flesh. Large eyes, high cheek bones, and he looked like he was constantly sucking on a lemon. His red robes lines with gold brought out the green in his eyes, a hood covered his balding head.

"Ahhh, a boy, not watching where he is going. Typical." He mumbled the last part to himself, his lips frowning further. He was about to turn away when he stopped. He leaned closer, staring into Dark's eyes. Dark, feeling extremely uncomfortable, leaned back away from him. It became an amusing game, one leaning closer as the other leaned away, a comical sight for any bystander. Why was…. This weird man looking into his eyes as if he was looking into his soul?

Finally the man growled. He grabbed Dark's arm. "Come with me."

And in response, of course, Dark pulled his arm away. He almost snapped back at this rude man, but stopped himself. Trying to start a fight at such a…. powerful filled party would lead to undesirable results. Dark almost reached to touch his own neck at the thought.

Death wasn't unreasonable. Whether it be execution or an 'accident,' it was possible. Dark didn't feel like being apart of the six-feet-below party. They wouldn't serve the drinks he liked.

So, instead, he gave an apologetic bow. "I'm sorry, my liege, but I'm afraid my Master summons me."

The man pressed his lips together in irritation. Dark wasn't surprised, for someone to basically say 'No' was rare for these royals. But before he could comment further, Dark brushed by him quickly, for the first time in his life hoping to actually find his Master and be near him.

He didn't know why, but that man gave him a bad feeling. He longed for the previously bought sunglasses from before, and his heart ached for home where people didn't stare or whisper behind his back.

He spotted his Master's balding head, and moved closer to his side. The moment he did, the Master flicked his ear. Hard.

"Ow!" Dark complained, holding his hand to his ear for protection of a second attack. "What was that for?"

"For missing the Princess's entrance, of course! Now she has mingled with the rest of the crowd, you won't get a chance to speak to her for a while now!"

"Phew…." Dark mumbled.

His master raised an eyebrow. He leaned closer, his liquor-scented breath blew onto Dark's face, causing the hairs on his back to stand on end. "Excuse me?"

Dark paled visibly. "Fortunately, I'll have a second chance!" he exclaimed, giving his master a large smile. He hoped 'fortunately' sounded close enough to 'phew.'

His master stared at him for a few, unnerving minutes before straightening back up. "True, you will. Make sure you greet her at least once tonight."

Dark gave a nod. "Yes, sir. Um.. sir?"

"Yes?" he asked with irritation.

Dark looked to the side, seeing the strange man from before. He indicated in that direction with a quick flick of his head. "That man… in the red robes. Who is he?"

His master blinked before looking over in that direction. After a few moments of staring, he looked back down at Dark. "Him? That's the King's Adviser. Why do you ask?" He asked with suspicion. Dark never cared about anyone else expect the Prince.

This time, Dark wasn't sarcastic or fake. Genuine worry was etched slightly into his expression. "He grabbed me earlier. He kept staring into my eyes. It was kind of… creepy." He left out the part that he was told to come with him. His master may not have liked the response Dark had given him.

His master rubbed his chin, surprised by his apprentice's look. It was a rare look for Dark, it was almost like the tiger afraid of the lamb, which would be a humorous sight if it wasn't so pathetic. So he actually took what his apprentice was saying seriously.

Actually, in this case, it's more like the tiger afraid of the barrel of a gun, and that is a lot less humorous and not so pathetic.

After racking his brain, he patted Dark's shoulder in attempt to be caring. "Remember that you look like a Sheikah. No one has seen one of their kind in ten years. Most likely, he thought you were one of them. I don't know what he was planning on doing, but it looks like you took care of it. Just avoid him for the rest of the night."

Dark, surprised by his master's honest reaction, stared at him.

"What? Do I have something on my face? Get your ass back into the party." Mature adult moment over.

Dark, relieved his master hadn't lost his mind yet, returned to the party. He had to agree with his master, that was probably why that man grabbed him. However… just what he planned to do with him is what Dark was concerned about. He returned to the safety of his dark corner, sheltered by the shadows, swirling his glass again with returned boredom, mixed with a touch of alerted worry.

He remained there for most of the party, occasionally leaving the shelter of his much-loved darkness for more refreshments. When he did he always darted past the people, on guard for the man in red, the King's Adviser. He didn't want another confrontation with him. He just wanted to hide, and savor the good food.

As he bit into another cupcake, getting white frosting on his upper lip, a hushed silence fell the crowd. Chewing, he looked around, wondering what was happening, when he heard the orchestra tune up their instruments. He leaned back against the wall of the castle. It was nothing interesting, just time for the dancing.

Dark wasn't a very good dancer. The Prince was currently teaching him to waltz, but so far Dark has two left feet and no sense of rhythm. The Prince can vouch for that with two bruised feet.

So, he remained in his corner. The music cued up, and the dancing began, each woman finding her male partner in a cheerful, colorful dance, with twirling skirts and stomping feet. Real laughter floated over the noise of the chatter. Dark let a tiny smile tug at his lips.

At least these people can be human at times. They truly do love to dance. This was the fun event for them for the evening. The rest was their job.

He bit into his cupcake again. Delicious! Castle food was always top notch! He took another bite, ignoring the gathering icing on his lip.

He failed to notice the approaching crowd of people to the Princess Zelda. In fact, he failed to notice that she was in plain sight, he was too absorbed in that delicious cupcake.

Everyone (except Dark, of course) has heard of the princess's beautiful dancing, and they wanted to see it for themselves. "Dance, your Highness!" they exclaimed, giving her large smiles. "Please, dance!" The Princess held up her hands with a nervous smile.

"I must decline," she said politely. A few people gave a disappointed sigh, but the King urged her.

"This is your birthday party, my darling, you should enjoy yourself. Go ahead, dance."

For Link, this was a command, not a suggestion. Holding back a sigh, he stood, maintaining his gentle smile. Internally he felt like gagging at being called darling by his 'father' and at the words 'your birthday party.' This wasn't his. It was the real Princess Zelda's party. And she was stuck in the tower.

People clapped as the Princess joined the dance floor. Dark finally looked up from his cupcake, seeing her for the first time.

Oh, she's actually kind of pretty. He thought to himself. Painted lips, curled blond hair, a simple but elegant blue dress. At least she had taste, he thought to himself.

But just like the rest of these people, she held that same fake smile. She had the same mask of lies. He wondered what secrets she was hiding.

The king gave a nod to the leading violinist, who gave an understanding nod in response, and began to play. After a beat, the princess began to dance.

At first, Dark just gave a deep sigh. This was all so boring. The food was more interesting, and that is always depressing to know that the only entertainment you could gain was from filling your stomach.

But then, he dropped his cupcake. And stared.

Those moves…. He knew those moves. He knew those moves. He had seen them before, only a few days ago, during the night hours deep in the dark, unknown fighting arena.

The princess swayed and spun, as people gasped with awe, and applauded her beauty and grace. Dark couldn't move. How could he, he couldn't believe it.

Have you ever seen someone on the street, and thought they were interesting? Perhaps you held a bit of fascination, and you wanted to get to know them? And not much longer later, only realize just how important or close that person was to you in your life? It's like it was god-sent. A secret gift that was only meant for you.

That is how Dark felt at this moment. That boy, that mysterious boy, the one that Dark wanted to meet more than anyone, was in a dress dancing. And was the great Princess of Hyrule herself.

He couldn't stop watching, as his mind race with questions. How is this possible? Could he have mistaken? No no, he was trained to recognize similar movements, these were unique. Then… it had to be true. The masked boy was Princess Zelda.

No way.

His excitement started to grow. Who else knew? Most likely no one else. It was probably just him. Oh ho, the Princess was clever, fighting in a place where no royal would go, where no one would recognize him. But he never suspected a leak, did he? Never suspected someone like Dark to do what he did, sneaking into a forbidden place.

Dark felt powerful. He almost felt intimate with the Princess. He knew her secret. He knew what was laying beyond that fake smile, that mask of lies. He was probably the only one. Just him. Perhaps the Princess was bored as well. Perhaps she longed to hold a sword, just like Dark!

But what if he was wrong? He could be wrong…. He hit his fist into his open palm as he made a decision. Perhaps it was time to talk to this Princess Zelda. Introductions were needed.

His deep urge for a duel was reborn. He wanted to fight this girl. He wanted a one on one duel with the Princess of Hyrule herself.

But how?

'First thing first, I have to talk to her!' he thought to himself. Fueled with a renewed burning passion, he strolled right over to the dancing princess. A few people noticed, and began to whisper to each other. He ignored them, forgetting about everything around him, and went right up to the princess. The princess, noticing, stopped her dancing and looked at him closely. To Dark, it was just her and him. No one else.

It felt like an eternity. Oh, what could Dark say? What SHOULD he say? This was the boy he was looking for… or girl, he should say, the one he wanted to duel. His mind whirled with possible first words, and he failed to noticed the awkward silence between them.

Finally, it was the Princess who first spoke. She pointed to her upper lip. "I beg your pardon, kind sir, but you have a bit of frosting on your upper lip. Right here. Are you looking for a tissue?"

Some of the royals began to laugh, the women trying to hide their snickers behind their fans, then men more open about their behavior. Dark's master was appalled and nearly had a heart attack at this first meeting.

And Dark, poor Dark, who was not expecting such a greeting, burned dark crimson, and touched his upper lip.

It was covered in crusty white frosting.

* * *

><p>"I am so shocked I don't even know where to begin!" Dark flinched, sitting on his bed back in their dirty hotel room. His master had literally raged in front of him silently for about twenty minutes, throwing his arms in the air before pacing back and forth trying to find the words he wanted to say.<p>

At least he finally said something, Dark was starting to think he destroyed his master's ability to speak. Which… wouldn't be a totally bad thing.

"We have to face those people tomorrow, the King and the Princess again in negotiations, and now I have the apprentice, who can't even wipe his own face, who so rudely approached the Princess Zelda herself!" He clawed at what little hair he had left. "This is a disaster! You may have just ruined our chances at negotiating successfully!"

"I-I'm sure it's not that bad…" Dark feebly tried to reason, and was instantly cut back down by the pissed off man.

"Not that bad?! You created the worst first impression of out country! You just approached the Princess and stared at her, stared at her for a good two minutes, with frosting all over your lips! Not that bad, not that bad indeed! The King is already suspicious of everyone around him, and we had a good chance to start off on the right foot!" He stamped his foot. "I swear, if things go poorly, I will have your hide!"

Dark withdrew back, his mind going to his backside.

"But, I won't for now. I still need you for negotiations in one piece. You might have a chance to redeem yourself. And apologize to the Princess, publicly! Is that understood?!"

Dark looked down, nodding. How embarrassing, public apologies were always the worst. The Prince knew that all too well.

"I said is that understood?!"

"Yes, sir!" he responded properly, give a quick and fierce nod. His master drew back, arms folded.

"Good. Now get your sorry ass to bed, before I have the urge to make the night a lot worse for you."

The young boy scurried off to his bed, throwing off his boots and wrapping himself tightly in the blanket as told.

Oh man, today was terrible! So embarrassing, now everyone would think of him as the weird boy who approached the Princess with frosting on his lip! How he wanted to be back home with the Prince!

But….

He smiled internally to himself. This trip may be interesting after all. He had found that boy, the one from before. Sure, she may be the princess, but Dark wasn't going to give this up. This was just way to exciting. No, he would try to get her alone, and negotiate a duel with her.

He would probably ruin their relations between their countries though, if he hadn't already. He racked his brain for answers.

It wasn't long, though, before he fell asleep, dreaming of future duels and the beautiful fighter. He could always figure it out tomorrow.

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><p>"And then, he turned bright red and touched his lip. His face literally twisted in horror! It took everything in me not to burst into laughter, he looked so ridiculous!" Link laughed, telling the event of the day to Zelda as they ate a small birthday cake together. Zelda almost choked on her piece, dying with laughter.<p>

"Then… haha, then, this older man, I suppose his master, had to drag him off! Oh gods, poor boy, but it was still so funny!" he laughed again.

Zelda laughed with him, wiping her eyes. "Why do you get all the fun times? Whenever I leave the tower, all I get are boring negotiations. So dull, nothing ever exciting happens then."

Link looked at her sympathetically. "I know, I'm sorry."

She covered her mouth. "Oops, sorry, I don't mean to complain." She smiled gently down at her cake, poking at it with her fork. "Daddy is just trying to protect me, that's all. It just must be so hard on you. You deserve the fun times more than me."

"I don't," he insisted, pointing his forth at her. "I really don't." After all, he had his own little secret, his own little times of fun. He didn't need the extra fun times he got. He felt guilty with this secret, but not even Princess Zelda can know.

Not even his best friend may know.

She looked at him closely. "You do. You don't even legally exist. You deserve all the fun you can get." She touched his hand, as if trying to communicate that she truly felt he deserved everything in the world.

He gave another feeble smile. When she opened her mouth again, he picked up a piece of cake with his fork and shoved it in her mouth. "Don't speak with your mouth full!"

She laughed and swallowed. "Fine, fine, I got it!" That conversation over.

Link reached down and picked up a small gift. "For you from me. Happy birthday, Zelda."

She gave him a large smile and took the gift. "Thanks!" Ripping open the gift with a lack of grace, and held up a small locket. "Wow! It's beautiful!"

"There are no pictures inside for now, you can decide what goes in them."

She reached out and hugged him. "Thank you so much, Link, it's perfect!"

He smiled and hugged her in return. At this moment, everything seemed perfect. He hummed with happiness.

And stopped. He touched his throat, humming again, as he withdrew from their hug. It was like before…. His voice felt funny in his throat. Zelda blinked, a concerned look crossing her face. "Link?"

After a few test trials, he smiled at her. "Oh, nothing! Here, try it on, I bet it will look beautiful!"

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><p><strong>So, look forward to chapter 4. I really hope to start making the story interesting, and get past my lazy, terrible writing. Thanks to everyone who has reviews, your reviews have kept me in touch with this story. I know it is long past it's due date, but knowing there are people who want to read it fills me with passion and a will to go on! Thank you, everyone!<strong>


	4. Identities: The Search Continues

**Hello, everyone. Well, this was the hardest chapter I ever wrote, and it's not even that great or long. It was just so difficult to write! At least it didn't take 6 months this time to write. Anyways, enjoy reading.**

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><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 4: Identities: The Search Continues

Link slowly opened his eyes to the bright sun of the morning. He lifted his hand to shield them from being blinded too early in the morning. As like many others who first wake up, he did not welcome the wake-up alarm of the sun.

The sun was so happy and carefree, just rising up into the sky. "Good morning, wake up my dears!" it would cry, if it had a voice.

And Link would flick it off. As many other people would completely understand.

He pushed back the thick covers of his bed and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes elegantly with the sleeve of his night gown. Much to Pipit's horror.

"Link! That nightgown was just washed, don't rub your eyes with it!" he nagged as a first morning greeting. He put down a tray of food on the table and came over to stop the terrible habit.

"Morning, Pipit," Link mumbled in return, swinging his legs over the side of the bed slowly, one at a time. He continued to work at the corners of his eyes with his nightwear. His long blond hair stuck out, in desperate need of a combing, and naturally he didn't care during his first few moments of the day.

Dear Pipit gave a small sigh, but not of annoyance, rather of motherly affection. He picked up a comb from the table and sat down next to the boy, combing his hair gently. This was his job, after all. He had been young when he first joined Knighthood. He had not worked long as a normal knight before he was pulled off to the side quietly, given this new job. At first, he didn't want it, it was nothing about protecting the peace he had so dreamed about as a child. But, he was offered a higher salary, and his aging mother was to be given free care and a home. Unable to reject that offer, he took it.

Despite originally desiring only the pay, he had come to love these two children, and now caring for the both of them became something he enjoyed. He was still a knight, and he still protected people like he dreamed, but now thrown into the uniform was a metaphorical apron and maid's outfit.

Link yawned again and let his arms drop into his lap; a dull and sleepy expression still dominated his face. This was a normal morning routine for Link and Pipit, though today was extra special because it was Link's day off. Because the day was meant for negotiations, and the real Princess Zelda is expected to attend those meetings, not Link. No more pretending, no more stuffy ugly dresses. He was still stuck in the tower, but at least he could be himself, sort of.

He looked over his shoulder at Pipit, who gave a kind smile in return. "Finally waking up, I see."

"Where's Zelda?"

Pipit looked up at the ceiling in thought. "Most likely at breakfast, she had to wake up early today. Not that she minded, she finally gets the day out of the tower."

Link chuckled that the irony. "So funny, I would rather be in the tower and she can't wait to get out!" Pipit set the brush down and pulled Link's hair into a ponytail.

"Yes, it is rather amusing. Wait, hold still, almost done… there." Pipit stepped back and smiled. If the old him saw him playing mother he would be horrified, but now there was a secret pride to putting hair into an acceptable design.

Link walked over to the window and looked out. He scrunched his nose in obvious disgust. "There is some unwanted scenery today."

Pipit joined him at the window, looking down at the garden. He laughed heartily when he saw what he meant. "'Tis true, that unholy adviser is pacing again!"

Link grinned, leaning out the window slightly to watch the man pace back and forth far below them. No one really liked the man except the King himself, who trusted his adviser more than he trusted his own daughter at times. It was sort of sickening, really, but the adviser never made malicious decisions or was cruel. He simply had that stuffy look in his face all the time.

Which reminded Link, "Speaking of unpleasant things…. Pipit, I think I'm getting a cold."

Pipit blinked, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "What do you mean, Link?"

Link gently touched his throat, remembering the strangeness in his voice over the past few days. "Lately…. My voice has been feeling funny…. I don't know, like it gets scratchy."

Pipit scratched his head in thought. "Well, let's just wait and see, ok? It's probably nothing, just a cold like you said, but that means her Highness will have to pretend to have one as well."

Link sighed. "Yes…. She will not like that…."

Neither would he.

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><p>After a long night, Dark finally had a chance to consider what happened yesterday. The phrase, "Sleep on it," is a powerful one, as after resting his mind he was able to seriously think about what had happened the day before.<p>

He realized it seemed so silly. The Princess being the Graceful Mask, the boy (or girl) from before… That sounded almost impossible. No, it _did_ sound impossible. How could the Princess be fighting in such a manner?

Dark also knew that even if she was the Graceful Mask, they sort of needed her during these negotiations and for her to be favorable towards them. He prayed he would at least act acceptable during this time so he didn't mess up... again. He sulked about this though, because he really, really wanted to duel the Graceful Mask.

So he sat there at the ridiculously long table, leaning against his hand while his fingers drummed against the polished wood, waiting for the Princess to arrive, along with the rest of the invited guests. There were a few Gorons chatting at the end of the table, and a few other human nobles, but not all the seats were filled. In fact, for such a huge table, there was barely anyone there. Clearly, this table was designed for larger meetings. He noticed in one area of seating there were name cards, but no one sitting there. He stopped drumming his fingers long enough to ponder who was suppose to be taking up those seats, but he didn't have long before a human woman sat next to him, flicking her long, thick black hair over her shoulder. Dark naturally shifted away from her slightly, before almost jumping back in shock.

"It's you!" he exclaimed, recognizing her from the day before. The woman who talked to him in the street, the tall one! _No way! _he thought.

She turned in slight surprise at his reaction, and amusement, as he stammered on, "What are you doing here?!" He forgot his manners in his shock.

Luckily, she ignored it. "Why, I'm filling in the place of my employer, darling. Oh, what a cute reaction," her painted lips tugged into a large grin as she leaned against her hand to study him. "I must say, boys are still so predictable."

He frowned. What was predictable? But seeing her stares he straightened himself back up, and glanced over at his master momentarily. Good, he didn't see that, he was far to busy with a rather loud, busty woman. At least he would be distracted until the Princess was to arrive.

He looked back at her, his eyebrows furrowed together with curiosity and questions. She gave a slight wink. "Shhh, don't ask, I already know what's on your mind. I'm an assistant to the King's Adviser, darling, that's my employer. However, he has... important matters to attend to today." She checked under her fingernails. "Since this is a lesser matter, I was given the task to overlook this meeting, and make sure... silly mistakes are avoided."

Dark felt his face start to burn. A silly matter?! She found the needs of his people a lesser matter?! He raised his hand to protest when she suddenly chuckled.

"I heard you made a tiny scene at the party last night, fabulous!"

Dark's mouth dropped open. Well, it made sense that his... little mistake would be passed around like butter for toast, but she didn't have to bring it up. He raised his hand again, a habit he does when he was about to protest in protection of his dignity, when she once more interrupted him.

"But don't worry, dear, I've been keeping him off your back since then."

Now Dark just blinked in confusion. "... Huh?"

She turned to a butler, who offered tea. "Thank you, darling." She sipped the drink, before returning to their conversation. "His Grace mistook you for a Sheikah, the poor dear." She touched her cheek and sighed. "He's been such a wreck the past few weeks, a huge worry wart, and with your arrival, it has only gotten worse. Making mistakes like that are bad for his heart, you know. He's still suspicious of you, but don't worry, I kept him off your back."

He was shocked. She wasn't talking about the... icing incident.

Dark leaned back, lowering his hand, still giving a slight glare of irritation. But, that would explain why he didn't run into the man again during the party. Dark had found it slightly odd, even if he had been trying to hide. He gave a slight nod, deciding to thank you and not bring up the other incident.

"Thanks," he mumbled. She gave a chuckled at his response, and sipped the tea again. Dark's head whirled with questions. How did she know who he was, even in the street?

"How did you know about me at the street?" he asked, getting right to the point.

"Hm? Oh, as one should with my job, I simply know, just as I know you are here to learn politics" giving a vague answer. "Don't suck the fun out of being mysterious, darling!"

Dark folded his arms. "Pretty strange we met in the street... What a coincidence…"

"Yes, so it was! I happen to do a bit of shopping in that area. They sell the BEST meat pies there." As if to emphasize her meaning, she licked her lips at some memory of the taste. Dark watched her, eyebrows still furrowed. This woman was dancing around his questions,

She noticed the look. "Don't worry," she gave a wink, "I'm your ally."

His face relaxed at that response. He hadn't been expecting her to say something like that. "What's your name?"

Before she could speak, a man in ridiculous clothing marched in, chin in the air, and chest puffed out. "Announcing her majesty, Princess Zelda."

Dark scowled at the timing, but stood with everyone on cue as the graceful girl walked in, a serious expression on her face, but dancing with joy on the inside. This was her freedom. Stuffy, drawn out, freedom.

Dark watched her closely. The Princess stepped carefully to her chair, facing the small crowd of people, observing them for a moment. Dark took this chance to carefully stare at her. She was dressed simply, in a green garment that reached her ankles, with her crown on top of her golden head, hair down with two thick strands pulled to the back of her head to keep hair out of her face. Wow, she was beautiful, Dark noted. But could she really be the one from the arena? They seemed the same height, and those dance movements from the night before... They were so similar. Perhaps it was more possible than he thought. But how could he know for sure?

He couldn't dwell on it. Dark's Master had returned to his seat before she walked in, and was now glaring down as Dark. Dark stood up a bit straighter, as the princess gave a slight nod, and all took a seat. Dark sat, hands folded in his lap. He hated politics, but he was here for his Prince, and for his own training. At least he had something to wonder about during this meeting.

The Princess gave a smile. "Greetings, everyone. Darunia, King of the Gorons, and kinsmen. I welcome as well from Labrynna Sir Orland and Sir Dark, and send greetings to his Majesty the Prince of Labrynna. I also..."

"Your Highness, forgive my rudeness, but the absence of the Zora tribe is unacceptable!" the largest Goron, Darunia, suddenly came forth. He folded his massive, muscular arms. "Once more they failed to show up to honor her Grace and keep their lands sealed off! This matter shouldn't be ignored any longer!" The other Gorons grunted in agreement.

Some of the guests looked at each other with either shock and silent agreement. Dark looked carefully at the other guests. He had no clue what they were talking about, and he knew he wouldn't be getting a full explanation at the moment. He simply gave a confused glance at his master. He was ignored as the Princess spoke up.

"Yes, King Darunia, I am aware of the issue. But..."

"He's right, Majesty, the river levels have been low for the past few years. This is a serious crisis," a man closer to the princess said.

She let out a sigh of irritation. "I am aware, but this meeting is not about internal affairs! We are here to negotiate with Sir Orland about our ally's needs. It is unfortunate the Zora people could not participate, but we will carry on." The Princess looked at everyone with a slightly dangerous glare, enough to get them to silence their tongues. "Sir Orland, I am aware, as well as my committee, that your country is in need of supplies."

Dark's Master stood with a slight bow. "Majesty, you are correct. The current drought has dried up crops. Already, many of the people have died from famine. We come on our King's behalf to trade for food, as well as negotiate a treaty."

"A treaty?" the princess said with slight surprise. "I knew of the famine, but I knew nothing of a treaty."

"Our land is in danger, your Grace, at all times, and we do not have an army such as yours. Therefore on the behalf my King we ask for a treaty of protection."

The princess looked excited, or it seemed to Dark, for a slight moment, before she returned to her poker face. For Princess Zelda, this was exciting news. She would have to arrange for a new series of negotiations now, treaties take a long time to prepare. For her, this meant more time out of the tower. This was god sent.

"Sir Orland, the purpose of this meeting is for the supplies your country needs. We cannot discuss treaties during this time, but I can grant you a proposal meeting." She looked at the woman beside Dark. "Please look into my schedule for such a time."

The woman stood and bowed. "Your majesty, of course."

Dark looked up at the ceiling, holding back a sigh. This was boring. The Princess was focused on the meeting, and he couldn't get any sign that she was the Graceful Mask. As the meeting droned on, and arrangements were made for supplies to be sent to his country in exchange for water Hyrule desperately needed, Dark's thoughts wandered back to the boy. His fighting was simply... beautiful. Dark had been taught to appreciate works of art, and the Graceful Mask's swordplay was truly a work of art. He glanced back at the Princess. He couldn't just ask her like this, and couldn't get close enough to confirm it. There was just no way.

Time went on, and Dark continued thinking like this, once again ignoring everything about him. It was a habit of his to focus on one thing, and tended to forget the rest of his environment around him. Thanks to this, he missed the meeting.

Finally, the Princess stood. "Thank you all for coming." Dark blinked. It was over? He hadn't paid attention for a second! Oh no, his Master was going to be pissed! As everyone else stood, his Master gave a bow. "One more thing, your Grace. My apprentice was rather rude to you last night, and wishes to make an apology." He elbowed him in the side, telling him to get going on it with the painful gesture.

_Not really... _Dark thought, as he gave an internal sigh. He bowed very low, his forehead almost touching the table. "Your Highness, I am sorry for my rude behavior at the night of the party. Please give me pardon." He felt his face flush red, he hated apologies. It was so embarrassing, as anyone would know.

He didn't see her confused look with his head down. Link hadn't told her who the boy was specifically, only that some boy approached him, so she had no clue what he was talking about. She searched her brain for an answer, her mind blanking. "I-I forgive you, Sir Dark," she managed to spit out. "No harm done." And with that exited the room, starting to sweat. She was surprised by the apology, and thankful it came after the meeting, or else her dress would have dark sweat spots from her surprise.

Dark stood as the room began to clear of people. His Master mopped with brow. "Phew, that's over. I was worried we wouldn't get what we would need after your incident last night."

He looked up at his Master. "What now, sir?"

"What now?" His eyes narrowed. "You weren't listening, were you?"

Dark stiffened, and coughed. "Of course I was! I just need... a reminder. You know, after all, a lot of things were discussed..."

It was clear his Master didn't believe him, but he let it slide for now, considering they were still in public. "Well, we got the food we needed, but looks like we are stuck here for a while longer, as least a week, I reckon." He grinned. "It looks like you are to be separated longer from your precious Prince."

Dark was horrified. Longer. LONGER?! He had to stay longer?! He almost complained, when he stopped.

Wait a second... He looked towards the direction of the Princess. He just remembered something. Something said at the arena... The announcer had mentioned about seeing everyone next week.

Next week. It's already been more than half a week since he saw the Graceful Mask. And Dark wouldn't have a chance to get close enough to the Princess to figure out if she is really that boy. If that's the case... Then this was a perfect chance to sneak off again and go see the arena!

And this time, fight the boy, and learn his identity. Dark's obsession with sparing and swordplay was too great to let this up, he HAD to know. Chance! This was a chance! A chance to at least fulfill his desire to spar with the kid. Perfect, this was perfect! Finally, something fun around here!

But he kept his face in despair, as Dark just gave a deep sigh for his Master. "Do we have to?"

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><p>As Princess Zelda informed Link about the events of the meeting that day, Link's mind wandered to the end of the week, when he could once more pick up his sword. It was just one part of his past self he could never let go, his skill of the sword. He smiled at Princess Zelda, but wasn't really listening at the moment.<p>

Soon, he would once more be free without anyone knowing. As much as he loved to wear bows, being able to do what he did best was another form of freedom he clung to.

"Oh, I see!" he responded to Zelda, as he looked forward to the weekend, because those were the times he loved.

And during the past nine years, nothing ever went wrong.

Ever.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading, everyone. Yeah, I guess Dark's realization at the end was kind of fast, but I didn't want to really waste time on it, so I hope you can forgive my lazy writing. <strong>

**Anyways, I feel like I should respond to some nice reviews I got, because I appreciate the feedback and the kind things people say! If I don't respond to your review it doesn't mean I don't appreciate it, because I appreciate everything everyone as said, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.**

**NeckoKitty13 and Guest 5/6/13 . chapter 3: **I know I've been gone! I'm so sorry for updating late. I hope you can forgive me, I'll try to improve my updating skills. Thank you for keeping in touch with my story!****

****Colleentj: Thank you for your kind words, and a reminder to me. You mentioned how I focused on Dark's relationship with his Master and it reminded me I was ignoring other relationships! So, thanks for your review, and the reminder you weren't aware you gave me. ;)****

****Alemery: I'm not sure what you mean. Forgot what? I never forgot my story. I wrote everything down. I didn't update because I didn't know how to proceed from point A to point B. I can't admit I forgot anything except tiny details I add at last second in my chapters. ****

****Once again, thanks for everyone who reviewed! Really, they mean a lot to me. Look forward to Chapter 5!****


	5. Ladies and Gentlemen!

**Enjoy**

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><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 5: Ladies and Gentlemen, Graceful Mask VS Orland!

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><p>Night had fallen on the city. Few people were out at this time, busy with last minute chores before returning to their home among the many townhouses. The occasional bark of a dog, and the clank of soldiers' armor as they did their rounds were the only sounds on the streets now. Torches lit the way.<p>

And there he stood in all his glory, sword over his massive shoulders and head held high as he gazed towards the castle, a growing smirk on his face. His two companions, not nearly as massive and with less than half the muscle, finally caught up to him, gasping for air. Their swords dragged on the pavement, scratching and jolting behind them. One collapsed next to their leader as he started to laugh.

"Ha ha! Here we are, back in Hyrule Town! And there it is, the castle itself!" He pointed toward the castle, before bringing his hand to his mouth and giggling foolishly. "I bet she's waiting for me, the beautiful Princess Zelda." He rubbed his chin with pride. "When our hands touched so many years ago, I knew she was the one for me! We will marry and-"

One companion helped up the other as their leader carried on his speech. The one who had fallen was the shortest of the three, and looked up at the other. They started their whispering, "I doubt she even know he exists."

He whirled hearing that. "Silence! No woman can forget the great Groose!" He flexed his massive muscles. "When she sees me again, her heart will soar for me! She will beg me to marry her, you just wait and see! Hee hee!" he started his giggling again.

Both of his companions nodded in agreement. Although Groose was ridiculous and delusional, they followed him blindly anyways, and sang him praise. "You know it Groose, you are the best!" they exclaimed, despite their earlier comment.

"I know." He chuckled. He faced the castle again, determination in his stance. "Come, we must not make her wait any longer!"

He took a step forward, when a black hooded creature ran right into his unprepared chest.

"Umph!" Groose grunted, the wind knocked out of him as he fell over, the figure on top of him now. It mumbled in surprise and rubbed its head from the impact, before noticing Groose below it. Groose stared up at a young man's red eyes.

"Oops, sorry!" Dark exclaimed quickly, rolling off the large man. He pulled his hood back up and took off again into the shadows. Groose rolled back and forth on his back with anger, trying to get up.

"Come back here, boy!" he snarled, waving his arms. "No one knocks over the great Groose!"

But Dark never truly heard those words. His mind was elsewhere, focused on something far more important than some silly man on the street.

He had spent the past few days preparing for this. He snuck out (while his master wasted his savings on his favorite love: alcohol) so he could to mark the pathway to the secret arena. It took some time, but he at last rediscovered where it was hidden. And well hidden it was.

Cloaked in the shadows, Dark rested his hand on the corner of the small alley, his eyes adjusting to the utter dimness. In the back, it looked like a dead end to anyone who wasn't looking for something more. Vines grew from the bottom up, mingling their leaves with the wild grass that grew through the cracks of the pavement. They grew all over the back wall; thick, lush, and uninviting, it was a perfect doorway for such a secret place. They guarded the crack in the wall, just large enough for a grown man to slip through. Dark was surprised he hadn't noticed the vines before (and he knew why he didn't notice the crack, he wasn't exactly the largest male in the world.)

Dark looked up and down the street, checking his surroundings. No one was watching, so he slipped down the alley, and descended down into the darkness. He had to hurry, he knew he was late. His stupid Master took longer than normal to pass out with a bottle in his hand. He guided himself down with his fingers brushing against the wall.

It wasn't long before he heard the clang of swords and the roar of applause. Shit, it already started! Was he too late to sign up for battle? Dark's body has been twitching for a good spar for over a week now, he needed the relief.

Plus, with such an interesting opponent available, how could he refuse?

He had spent the past few days thinking about this. If the Graceful Mask was indeed the Princess Zelda, why was she dressing as a boy and doing this? Was she not allowed to spar because she is next in line for the throne? Or because, perhaps, she was female?

And the Graceful Mask was skilled. Excellent at her craft, in perfect control of her movements. Even if the Graceful Mask turned out to be some kid off the street and not the Princess Zelda, fighting such a wonderful opponent made Dark's heart skip a beat with excitement.

If Princess Zelda and the Graceful Mask turned out to be one in the same… Well, Dark's boring negotiation days would not be nearly as boring as before.

Will they?

Dark finally stepped out into the dimly light arena. A large crowd had already gathered, and two men were already going at it. Dark's eyebrows furrowed together in worry. He realized in horror that he didn't know how to sign up for the tournament.

Well, that was slightly important if he wanted to fight the Graceful Mask.

His heart racing, his eyes scoured the arena for any official… of sorts, that could help. His eyes landed on the announcer from last week, who was watching the fight from the side, arms folded.

Dark's hood flew off his head as he climbed down the stone bleachers towards the stick of a man. No one really paid much attention, all eyes were on the larger man smashing the other opponent's face in. Luckily, the announcer was not hard to reach, standing on the bottom floor and not on the raised arena.

He managed to reach the man, panting in front of him. "I…. hah, want to fight!"

The announcer, startled by his sudden appearance. He regarded him in stunned silence for a moment before realizing. "You're the kid from last week asking about the champion!" he exclaimed loudly, snapping his fingers. He seemed proud of himself that he remembered.

Dark nodded, wheezing. "Yes, I am, and I want... hah, to fight!"

The older man looked at him. His eyes widened a little, before he threw his head back and laughed. He laughed for a moment before he wiped the smile off his face. The announcer turned his head. "Bug off, kid, sign ups are over."

Dark's heart sunk. What?! "But, why not? Can't you fit me into the roster somehow?!"

He raised an eyebrow. "No way. To sign up, you need to be here on time. When it _starts, _and you are at least an hour late. You are more than welcome to watch, but no fighting." He waved his hand in his face dismissively. "Now, shoo."

He turned his back to Dark, but Dark was not about to give up. He swung his body around in front of the man, determined to change his mind. He _had _to get in. "I demand to be signed up!" he said in a low-tone, trying to be intimidating.

The announcer covered his mouth. "Oooooh, scary," he gasped sarcastically. Then, seriously, "No."

Dark's hands clenched into fists, his lips turned up, and his eyebrows knotted together in fury. "…. Fine."

He stomped up into the bleachers and pouted as he watch the next round start.

This wasn't _fair. _Dark mumbled angrily to himself, his mind in a frenzy, racing and sprinting around in circles, trying to figure out what to do next. Dark wasn't sure how much longer he would be here in Hyrule, but this was his one good chance to really fight. He didn't have the Prince to spar with, and Master said it wasn't proper to have his head filled with swords and weaponry all the time.

He leaned back and sighed. But, what could he do? He could… beat up one of the competitors and take his place!

The announcer, though, would recognize him… He sank lower in his bleacher.

"This sucks…" he mumbled, arms folded, his eyes half closed with annoyance. He had been so excited for nothing. Planned for days for nothing. He didn't want to watch the fights, he wanted to be in them. And win them. Feel the primal thrill of adrenaline rushing through his veins as he blocked and dodged, and the awarding feeling of victory deep in his chest.

He thumped his head slowly on the stone rising behind him, hood pulled over his face, shadowing his eyes. A couple next to him scooted farther away, looking at him with concern for their safety.

Dark did that for some time, agitated, as another large man entered the arena. The announcer stepped onto the platform, waving his arms for everyone's attention. "Folks! This is the second to last fight for this week! In this corner, we have Alfonzo!" Dark looked dull as a large man with a bandana over his head stood there, serious and ready to go. "And in this corner, we have the great Luke!" The not-so-great-looking Luke thumped his chest and laughed.

Dark pulled his hood over his eyes. He couldn't even bear to watch. One of those men was going to fight the Graceful Mask. It should have been Dark up there, but instead it had to be one of these two… More overly buff, over-the-top freaks.

"Fight!" the announcer yelled, and Dark heard the two men begin the round. He couldn't help it, though, Dark peeked out from under his hood. Alfonzo seemed pretty skilled with the sword, but nothing like the champion. Luke was all talk and no bite. Dark could tell Alfonzo had this fight.

And he was right. It wasn't long before Luke was literally thrown out of the arena and into the bleachers. The crowd went wild as the announcer got on the stage. "Allllllllright, ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we have this week's winner! But, can he take on the champion, with a streak of nine years undefeated?!" Dark shook his head.

No, Alfonzo couldn't do it, no way in hell. There he was, standing there all smug, arms folded with a half-smile on his face. Disgusting, Dark thought. Dark mumbled to himself, before a brilliant idea came to him.

"Well, let's find out, ARE YOU READY?!" the announcer screamed, trying to get the audience pumped. And they were, as people rose to their feet, clapping and whistling for the next fight.

Dark stood up with them, but for a different reason. He hopped down from his bleacher and in one swoop hopped up into the arena, facing Alfonzo and the announcer. "No, I'm not!"

The audience didn't quiet down, but many were surprised to see this. So was Alfonzo and the announcer. "Kid, what are you doing?" the announcer hissed towards him.

"I'm not ready to find out!" he growled back, then faced Alfonzo. "You. Let me fight you!"

Alfonzo simply blinked. The audience whispered as the announcer's mouth dropped, dumbstruck.

The large man scratched his chin in thought, before responding. "Why, boy?" he asked. From his tone, he sounded more curious than upset. "What is your reason?"

Before Dark could speak, the announcer stood between them, glaring at Dark. "No way. I already told this kid he could not fight in the tournament." He got in Dark's face. "And kids should do as they are told! I said no, and that's final!"

Dark growled, and pushed past him. "I'm not a child! Sir, I just want a chance to fight the champion!" he said, deciding honesty was the best way to get into this fight. "Fight me, and if I win I face the champion instead!"

Alfonzo stopped scratching his chin. The audience looked excited. Something new was happening! The announcer grabbed Dark's shoulder. "What did I say?!"

Dark squirmed from the announcer's grasp, arguing. "What's the problem? If I fight and win, then I'm better suited to fight the champion!"

"But you weren't here on time, so I say no!"

"You and your god damned rules!" Dark snarled.

The announcer grabbed Dark's cheeks with one hand. "You should have your mouth washed out by your mother, you-"

"Sure." Alfonzo said.

Dark turned. "Please, I'm begging you, I'm… huh?"

At the same time, the announcer folded his arms. "You see, the man said…. Huh?!"

Both looked at him with their mouths dropped.

Alfonzo shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me, but we better hurry before the audience gets mad." He smiled down at Dark. "Besides, I like your fire, kid, you have guts. Alright, I'll give you the chance. What's one more fight, anyways? Doesn't matter to me if I don't fight the champion this week, or if I kick a kid's butt."

Dark pulled his jaw back up and smiled back, slightly. Hmmm… perhaps this big guy wasn't so bad as he had originally thought.

"B-b-b-but…. But…but…." The announcer wheezed, pointing at Dark, as Alfonzo let out a hearty laugh.

"People here love the fights! Let's give them a treat of one more fight this week!" Alfonzo said as he patted the announcer's back. "Go ahead, announce the next fight." Rich in a friendly tone, and coupled with a friendly smile, anyone who couldn't see the threatening grip Alfonzo had on the announcer's shoulder would have not understood the cold sweat the man broke into.

The announcer mumbled, going to the center of the arena, as Dark bowed his head a bit. "Thanks." Alfonzo gave a serious nod in return.

"Don't mention it." Dark gave a smile, but Alfonzo held up a hand. "No, really…. Don't."

He didn't have a problem with that. He turned to walk to his corner. Finally, a chance! A chance to fight the Graceful Mask! And, perhaps, learn something new about this Princess Zelda.

"By the way, kid, what's your name?" the announcer asked, still sulking.

That pulled Dark out his thoughts. "Huh?"

"Your name, kid, your name. What is it?" The announcer sighed with irritation. "I need _something_ to call you."

Dark had not thought about that. That did seem a bit obvious though, considering the announcer always called out the names of the fighters each round. Feeling the rush of the moment, he blurted out the first name that came to his mind.

"Er…. Orland." The announcer gave a nod, and got the audience's attention.

Shit…. His master's name…. oh well.

* * *

><p>Link, in the back, was suddenly told to wait longer. He face held a confused expression behind his mask, but clearly no one saw. He just gave a small nod to the man, and waited in the shadows, wondering what was happening.<p>

He had heard shouts and the roar of the audience, followed by whispering and commotion. He gripped the hilt of his sword, looking down at the gleam of the blade. What was going on?

Why was it taking so long for his name to be announced? The last battle already took place. Link's heart fluttered with worry. His chest was tight, but he remained in control of his body, refusing to pace back and forth. He just dug the point of his weapon into the ground and leaned on the blade carefully, waiting for the next match to be over. There was nothing else that he could do.

He refused to speak in this place, so he had no ability to ask what was happening. That's what he got for not paying attention for a moment. He was so used to the patterns of this place that he would let his guard down. People here respected his decision to remain anonymous (many here had fake names anyways, he was no different) so he didn't worry about someone trying to sneak a peek under his mask.

Someone out there was ruining the rhythm of this place.

Under his mask, his brow knotted together as he waited. He had to get out of there soon so that he could get home in time before he was missed, and the battle was of good length. He heard the sharp meeting of swords as blades collided, and cheers following the clattering of a sword hitting the ground.

A victor?

The announcers voice came over the noise. "And Ooooorland wins!" Orland? That sounded very familiar, but why did it?

He searched his memories as a man waved for his attention. "Mask, you're up!"

Link stood and lifted his sword from the dirt. Orland… Orland…. Wasn't that the name of someone from the party? He tried to remember faces as he walked towards the arena, hearing the announcer say, "…Nine year champion, Graceful Mask!"

Into the light he stepped, and up the steps he climbed. Orland… That's it! It was the greasy fat diplomat from the party! No way, it couldn't be him.

Link stepped up on the stage as everyone clapped, ready for the next battle. When he saw who was his opponent, Link almost dropped his sword. Behind the mask, his eyes went wide.

It was Frosting Boy! The apprentice of that Orland man. What was he doing here?!

"Are you ready?!" the announcer screamed. Link wanted to scream _NO _back. But, he couldn't break the image he created for himself so long ago…

He took a deep breath. It's ok, it's fine. Frosting boy doesn't know anything, this was just a coincidence. Link will just beat him and get out of there as quickly as possible. With that in mind, he took his stance, sword ready at his sword. Frosting Boy grinned and took a more offensive stance, crouching lower to the ground.

Link observed him. He must of had official training, which meant he would have skill, considering his position as Personal Guard of the Royal Family (in training). This also meant he would be observing Link as well for flaws which he could exploit. Link would have to stay defensive until the other slipped up. He didn't want to expose himself.

Considering Frosting Boy was also here, in this secret battling arena, meant that this boy did not play by the rules. The hungry look in his eye, the overjoyed grin on his face, the way he almost jumped into a stance, like a child seeing a present, showed that he loved to fight. Just like anybody here, of course, but being someone from status meant he would stoop low for any fight. Would he play dirty? Link wasn't sure.

He thought of all this in a matter of moments. His natural talent and diplomatic background gave him the ability to judge an opponent, but Link was uneasy. Most fighters here were farmers or of other simple backgrounds with no formal training. This would be his first true fight.

With Frosting Boy... from the party... Link still couldn't believe it.

"GO!" the announcer screamed as he jumped off the arena.

The audience cheered, most for the new challenger, some for the Graceful Mask. But neither boy moved. They were judging each other, waiting for the other to flinch.

After a moment, it was too much for Dark. His body's addiction to the fight betrayed him, and he sprang forward, sword in front of him.

_Fast_, Link thought, blocking the move with the spin of his sword. Their blades met, and the crowd went nuts.

"Beat the Graceful Mask!" they cried. They had faith. This boy had guts, they wanted to see him win. A few others had doubts. "The Graceful Mask is too good," they whispered to each other.

Link stepped back, as Dark charged again with the swing of his sword. Link dodged to the side, frowning behind his mask. Frosting Boy charged into the fight, he noted. Not much strategy went into his attacks. But he had skill, that would make things more difficult.

Seeing him step sideways, Dark realized he was wide open for an attack as he stumbled forward. _Shit, _he thought, and spun his body around just in time to avoid being kicked in the side. Facing each other again, he charged. He needed to get close to the Graceful Mask, he had to determine if this was truly Princess Zelda.

Link side stepped again, hoping to make Dark stumble, but Dark was ready for this. Link had done it before, Dark noticed Link has a pattern of dodging instead of blocking. He moved with Link. He couldn't see the surprise on Link's face, but he could see the speed Link used to bring up his sword to stop the attack. Dark cursed himself mentally. If the Graceful Mask wasn't as skilled as he might have originally thought, he could have seriously injured him. Luckily, the boy was fast, and their blades met again, and locked in a strength struggle.

Everyone was going wild, but both boys failed to hear them. The audience had never seen someone get this close to the Graceful Mask like this, let alone perhaps match him! Dark looked at the decorated mask. It looked like a fox was looking back at him. Who was behind at mask? His arms shook as he pressed down against the Mask's Sword. Dark found him surprised at the strength difference. Although the Mask held his own, he (or she) was not as strong. The Mask was slightly struggling in this power lock.

This was his chance. Dark grinned. "You're pretty good."

Link didn't respond. He was in a situation, and Frosting Boy wanted to talk?! _What an idiot... _Link thought.

"I've been wanting to fight you since I saw you last week. Your grace was amazing to watch."

... Huh? Link's attention turned from trying to escape to looking right at Dark. Last week? Frosting Boy was here before?

"I've never seen anything like it from someone your age... Princess Zelda," Dark whispered the name. He wanted to see how the Graceful Mask would react. Would he act confused? Or... shocked?

Everything went silent to Link. Everything stopped moving. He couldn't breath, he couldn't think. What? What... did he call him? Frosting Boy called him Zelda... He said 'Princess Zelda.' No, that wasn't possible. There was no way he could have figured it out...

The night of the party flashed in his mind. Frosting Boy staring at him like he was seeing for the first time. Mouth dropped open, eyes wide. Suddenly... that meeting made sense. His ears rang with gut-gripping terror.

Link's secret has been discovered.

**Clang. **Link's hands felt light. He looked down to see his sword was gone. He looked up at Dark's face, who's lips tugged into a victorious grin. Link heard the sword clatter behind him as it landed.

The crowed gasped. The Graceful Mask... actually lost his sword Everyone was stunned, as the arena went silent.

But no one was more stunned than Link. He was frozen in position, still staring at the horrible boy who figured out everything Link was trying to protect, who had his blade pointed at Link's throat.

Grinning.


	6. The Unfortunate Circumstances

**At last, chapter 6, after 2 years. Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 6: The Unfortunate Circumstances and Choices of His Majesty, the Princess of Hyrule

* * *

><p>When discussing the end of this arena's most historical fight, one must first slow down time and consider the events that unfolded second by second. Because not long after Dark's sword pressed against Link's neck, a sudden series of chaos took place that to this day people who witnessed it <em>still<em> argue about what had happened. Of course, no one argues about the outcome of the fight, but _how _the outcome came to be.

Second three after Dark's sword pressed against his neck: Link couldn't breath. His thoughts stopped, his body frozen in shock. All he saw was Dark standing, feet firmly planted in the ground and a triumphed smirk plastered across his face. Was it possible? Was it possible for this nobody who hasn't even been here two weeks to discover his deepest, darkest secret? How could a teenage _boy _have enough wits and intuition to piece together the few possible hints to Link's truth? How did he know that he was Princess Zelda? How did he know he was actually a boy?!

Second four: The audience was still processing what had happened, so the arena remain silent. Except for a slight cough from somewhere behind Link. Unknown to the man who coughed, this is what snapped him out of his thoughts. Link bent his knee suddenly.

Second five: Dark had been spending the last five seconds cheering in his mind at his victory that he hadn't noticed fast enough that Link had suddenly pushed off his back leg with a burst of speed, rushing past the right side of his blade. He blinked, and the fox mask was suddenly terribly close to his face.

Second five and a half: Dark had suddenly a very bad feeling.

Second six: Link leaped up slightly. Not much shorter than Dark, he didn't need a lot of height for what he planned to do. Dark suddenly felt the crook of Link's arm smash against his throat, and felt his back crack as suddenly Link put all his weight in going back down, bringing Dark with him.

Second seven: The back of Dark's head smashed into the stone floor. His sword clattered away from him, released from shock.

Second eight: Dark was up in an instant, his head throbbing and his vision filled with stars. Wobbling from the sudden attack, he had enough wits about him to throw a powerful punch at Link. Link blocked it with his elbow and forearm. Pain shot through his arm as he took this chance to swing around and land a firm, powerful kick right into Dark's gut.

Dark grunted, eyes wide, as the kick landed. By second nine, he let out a small gasp for air as he fell on his back, holding his stomach with one hand. Link walked over to Dark's sword. He put his toe under the blade and with a lift of his leg elegantly kicked it up to his hand. He glided back over. Dark panted, winded from the kick and dizzy from the head injury. He was looking up at the fox mask. It held no expression, no emotion, only a pair of lines for eyes looming over him. Link gripped the sword's hilt and slammed it into Dark's sleeve, forcing the blade deep into a crack in the stone.

And with a turn on his heel, he was gone. And that's when the crowd roared with cheers.

* * *

><p>Dark sat in the back, holding his head as he leaned over a table, groaning in embarrassment. He groaned in pain as well, but mostly in embarrassment. A girl had just kicked his ass in front of a hundred people. He glanced over at the other losers who were in equal pain or more as him. He groaned again at the thought of being a losing peer with them. That hurt a lot more than his head.<p>

The announcer placed a cup of water next to him with a hollow thud. "Drink up kid, it will help your head there." Dark moaned a thank you, and took a large gulp. The man sat down next to him. "Ya know, kid, that was some of the best fighting I have ever experienced here. Most of these men just throw their strength around, but you actually have skill there. I have never seen anyone make the Mask actually work like that, let alone disarm him. You should feel good about yourself."

Dark, staring down at his cup, mumbled down at his reflection on the water's surface. Of course he would say that, _he_ didn't know that the Graceful Mask was Princess Zelda. Dark blinked suddenly, remembering that. That's right. The Graceful Mask had reacted clearly. Even if Dark couldn't see her face, the fact that he disarmed her was because he had shocked her. He had surprised her with knowing the truth. Then he sunk lower in his seat. Yeah, he had disarmed her, but it was only because he kind of cheated. He purposely tried to shock her, to see if he had been right. So what if he hadn't shocked her, or had been completely wrong? He probably would have still... He sank further at the next word... lost. All the plans he had for when he discovered her truth had been temporarily forgotten. His cocky nature had made him believe he could beat the Graceful Mask.

The older man shrugged. "You are a pain in the butt kid, but I can't stay mad after a fight like that. Our popularity is bound to go up! We may even get more fans! People are going to talk about that fight!" He wrapped an arm around Dark's shoulders and held his other hand up towards the heavens. "Just imagine! Orland! The only one to have disarmed the Graceful Mask! People will flooding the arena, I know it! The Mask doesn't seem as invincible now! Even _more _fighters will start lining up for their big shot!"

Dark leaned away as must as he could, still sulking. "Don't touch me."

"Sure, kid, whatever you say." He let go. "You are welcome back any time, Orland, especially to fight the Graceful Mask again! In fact, I will _pay _you to come back! That was just a thrill!"

"Yeah yeah..." Dark waved him away, not listening to a word he was saying, when he suddenly sat up and grabbed the announcer by the collar. "Wait, what?!"

The man frowned. "Whoa, you got to stop doing that!" Dark ignored the comment.

"People are going to talk about this?!" he cried out. "Isn't this a secret arena?! Why would people talk about their criminal activities?!"

The man blinked. "Well of course that's true, but people still talk about these things. How do you think we get so many customers? You honestly we think we put out flyers? Word of mouth is our advertisement."

Dark's mouth went dry as he released the man's shirt. He sank slowly back down into his chair. Uh-oh... people are going to talk about Orland. His master... not him. What... what if someone, like his master, finds out? Dark held his head again. "Oh no..." He suddenly realized that he may have seriously screwed up. Why couldn't he just listen to his master every once in a while?!

The announcer stood. "Drink up and get out of here, alright kid? This isn't an inn." And with that he went off to force the other losers to leave.

Dark wasn't sure how long he sat there holding his head before he got up and looked around. A few people still lingered. Dark noticed Alfonzo was not one of those people. In fact, Dark didn't even remember if he had been in here at all. Regardless, Dark stumbled his way up to the street, rubbing his skull. Princess Zelda had smacked him against the floor hard.

As he walked down the street back to the inn, he started to feel the slightest feeling of success, and a smile crept back. The more he thought of his success, the less he remembered that he used his master's name. He had been right. Sure, she kicked his ass in the end, but he had been right. Princess Zelda was the Graceful Mask! There was no doubt now, the way she reacted, her movements, her height, everything. The cross-dressing princess was amazing! And now, Dark felt the need to duel her again.

"I must win next time," he whispered as he opened the door to the inn. He showed his key to the man behind the desk and slowly climbed the stairs to his room. He took off his cloak and snuck a glance at his master. He snored like a fool in his chair. Dark tip-toed past and crawled into bed. He pulled the blankets over his face, grinning.

He knew her secret. He now felt as if she was his rival. Oh ho, this was going to be _fun._

* * *

><p>Dark woke up to the sound of the devil. "Boy, wake up!" Orland roared. Dark let out a cry and tried to stand in shock. Entangled in his blanket, he instead fell on the floor. He moaned in pain as his master folded his arms above him. "Get dressed into your suit! After a bath though, you are filthy! You look like you got the shit beaten out of you!"<p>

Dark stood, aching. He rubbed his head. His master narrowed his eyes and leaned closer. He grabbed Dark's sleeve. "What's this?" Dark blinked, and looked down. It was the hole from where Princess Zelda had stabbed his own sword through. He had totally forgotten. It was probably a signal to him to back off and leave her alone, or he was dead. But frankly, if this was true, that only excited him even more. But for now, he was in danger of getting caught.

"Practice. I was twirling my sword, and my hand slipped. Luckily, it didn't hurt me, thanks for asking." Dark smiled. Usually, his master was quick to spot a lie, but he hoped his fast thinking would throw him off the trail.

His master frowned deeply back. "... Smart ass, just get your clothes on. And quickly, we are having tea with the princess today."

Dark nearly tripped over himself at that. "What?! Since when?!"

Dark's habits the past few days after the day of negotiation made him oblivious to everything else. While Dark's mind was focused on finding the arena and planning his duel with the Graceful Mask, he had completely forgotten he was there on a diplomatic mission. His master and himself had continued to go back to the castle to speak with several officials concerning meetings and plans for the next few weeks of negotiating. However, Dark hadn't even been remotely paying attention, especially since they hadn't seen the princess during these discussions.

So he hadn't heard about this tea arrangement. Its purpose, for Orland, was to improve relations with Princess Zelda and their own prince. Since the prince could not come, Orland thought it would be perfect for his young apprentice to get to know her better as a start.

"Since a few days ago! You've been sneaking off every day so I haven't had the chance to tell you. And don't think I don't know you are up to something, but frankly I've got too many other things to worry about than wondering what you are doing. Just don't jeopardize this mission." He grabbed a comb. "Dress!" He stormed out.

Dark picked up his suit, staring at it. Tea? With the princess? He couldn't decide if this was lucky or unlucky. Sure, he wanted to talk to her again, but the night after their fight? That felt... rather fast. Still, Dark couldn't pass up this chance. Perhaps with a little bit of persuasion, and maybe some charm, he could get her to duel him again.

After waiting for his master to finish with his hair, which took longer than Dark taking a bath and dressing, they climbed into a carriage and took off towards the castle. Dark tried not to twiddle his thumbs with both excitement and nerves. He looked up at the castle, in deep thought. He wondered what she was doing. Was she freaked out? Most likely. After all a stranger discovered her secret. Would she kill him for it? He suddenly paled at the thought. He had felt so much power for knowing the truth when he went to bed, but now as they approached the castle, he started to wonder about _her _power. Would she execute him publicly? Or have him assassinated? She would have to do it before he could talk to her or others.

He touched his throat and gulped. His master chuckled. "Sometimes I wonder what you are thinking about."

* * *

><p>"Are you alright, Princess? You seem... jittery," his maid asked him as she stood next to him in the courtyard, waiting for their guests to show up. Link smiled at her with charm.<p>

"Perfectly," was his lie. Of course he wasn't though. After the fight, Link had never gotten home so fast in his life before. Often, he took his time, just fast enough as to be sure he wasn't being followed by curious fans. But after that horrible duel, he had instead found himself in a full sprint the entire way home. When he got back, he paced for hours, in full panic. How was it possible? Why did Frosting Boy have to discover his secret? That a boy was Princess Zelda?! Link had covered his face, in full terror of Frosting Boy revealing his secret to the world, and Link's mind raced with thoughts of the king ordering his quiet execution.

This morning, he tried to act normal in front of Pipit and Zelda. Luckily, he got away with it. He had years of practice of hiding secrets, though it was hard to hide the growing massive bruise on his elbow from Frosting Boy's powerful blow. It hurt to even move, and Link had managed to keep Pipit from noticing. Pipit has smiled at him when he entered the room to wake him up.

"Ha, you are awake! I'm surprised, Link, it usually takes a full hour to wake you up! And you are even dressed!" Pipit had laughed. "Didn't sleep well?"

Link had just laughed back. "I had a lot of my mind, nothing too exciting!"

But now, as he waited for Sir Orland to show up, the fear was starting to wear on him. He tried to calm himself down.

_It's ok, just focus on tea with Sir Orland. The _real _Sir Orland, not Frosting Boy. Though, I wonder how he knew Sir Orland...  
><em>

Finally, the guests arrived. Link took a deep breath. Tea had been arranged by the King, who wanted to see if he could trust Sir Orland. In order to see if Sir Orland would try to assassinate Princess Zelda, no servants or guards will be present during tea.

_If he kills me, then I suppose it doesn't matter if that boy found out my secret or not. _Then, something occurred to Link. _Wait a second... wasn't Frosting Boy dragged away at the party by..._

"Announcing Sir Orland, and his apprentice, Sir... Dark," the servant hesitated at the unusual name.

Link smiled when he saw Sir Orland. Then he saw Dark. Dark actually saw him stop smiling for a second, before he resumed.

Oh no, he had totally forgotten! Sir Orland was the one who had to drag a shocked Frosting... Dark away from him at the party! Link had assumed that he was Dark's master, and now it seemed like he was right. Link stared at Dark intensely. Dark looked back with both cockiness and a touch of nervousness.

What were the odds that the same boy who found out his secret was no other than Sir Orland's apprentice?! Link glanced up at the sky for a moment. _Goddesses, you have a sick, twisted sense of humor._ He felt his stomach sink lower and lower into a knotted pain of terror. This was too fast, he needed time to think about this! What should he do with this little pesky sneak?

He was given no time to think as Orland strolled over, beaming. "The lovely Princess Zelda!" He took Link's hand and bowed. "An honor. I know he has already apologized to you but may I introduce my apprentice properly to you. This is Sir Dark." Link smiled at Orland politely and curtsied. Apologized? That must have been with the real Princess Zelda.

Orland let go as Dark took his hand and bowed. "Your Majesty," Dark said. Dark showed no signs of knowing anything about the night before. Then he winced when he felt Link's grip suddenly tighten painfully. Link decided to make this meeting hell for the red-eyed little devil.

"It's my pleasure, Sir _Dark," _Link responded, smiling at him. He released Dark's hand, and the boy quietly stepped back, checking his hand for injuries. Link gestured towards a small table. "Please, this way." He led them to the table, his mind in a whirl. _Keep calm, keep calm._ "Please, sit. That is all, you may go," he said the last part to his servants. The courtyard soon cleared. Orland and Dark did not sit until Link himself was seated.

Orland began the talking. "It is an honor to be here, Your Majesty," he exclaimed as Link poured the tea. "Oh, allow me!"

Link shook with head with a gentle smile. "No, please, allow me," he said cheerfully. It was the King's orders, after all. He poured Orland's first, and then Dark's. Dark was watching him intensely.

Dark couldn't stop looking at Link. _She really is beautiful, _Dark thought. Beautiful and very skillful. Dark wondered how this princess managed to sneak out of the castle for nine years without being noticed before. Despite the worry of being killed, he felt excited for knowing a secret like this. Like he was special.

_Heh. _Link suddenly got a fantastic idea. Link passed over Orland's to him, but for Dark he gave it a quick mix with a spoon. "Please excuse me, it was too hot. This should help it cool a bit," he said kindly with a bright smile, passing it over. A death glare soon followed.

_Oh my god she poisoned it. _Excited feeling gone. Dark stared down at the dark liquid before him. Orland took a sip. "Wonderful tea! And such a beautiful place! Hyrule is one of my favorite places!"

Link chuckled behind his hand, pretending to be amused. "You flatter me, my lord. Though I thank you, I agree that Hyrule is beautiful."

"I'm very pleased that the negotiations are going well. I cannot wait to report to my king the good news. You have saved our people," Orland continued. Dark could tell he truly meant those words. Dark poked the cup with his finger carefully, watching the tea slosh back and forth.

Link gave a nod. "As have your king. We have limited water in our lands, and it's starting to wear on our people. What's wrong, Sir Dark, is the tea not to your liking?" he smiled at him, with an I-Am-Going-To-Kill-You look.

Dark smiled back, trying not to sweat. Why should he? _He _should be the one making the princess sweat, not the other way around! "Yes, yes, it's wonderful." Looking down at it, he still believed it was poisoned.

Orland looked over at some bushes. "Excuse me, Your Majesty, but what are those flowers called?" When Link turned to look, Orland rammed his elbow into Dark's side. Dark grunted in pain as he looked at his master. Orland glared at him. _Drink the god damned tea and talk to her, or I'll make your life hell, _Orland's lips formed. He then proceeded to crack a few knuckles. Dark paled more.

They talked for a half hour, discussing things like the weather, and the latest fashions, all of which made Dark visibly drool with boredom, and made Link internally scream with the same feelings. He constantly stared at Dark, and Dark did the same back. They sized each other up, tried to guess what the other was thinking. Tension was high between the two. From Orland's viewpoint, everything was going grand. Then, a servant entered the yard. "Sir Orland, his Majesty the King wishes to speak with you in private." Orland blinked in surprise, then stood, fixing his belt. "Excuse me, Your Majesty." Link gave a small understanding nod, but deep down was begging him not to go. _Don't leave me with Frosting Boy! _he silently begged.

Orland patted Dark's shoulder, but gave him a look of Don't-Say-Anything-Stupid-Or-You're-Dead look. Dark smiled painfully. Wonderful, two people threatening his life at once.

Soon, Link and Dark were left alone in the courtyard.

Silence loomed over the pair for a moment. Link fiddled with a spoon, looking down at his reflection from the silver. Dark sniffed his tea. It didn't smell poisoned. And frankly, Princess Zelda just stirred it. She didn't seem to actually put anything in. Confidence began to overcome his fear again. He looked up at Link, before checking around the courtyard. No one. This was certainty lucky for him. This means he could safely talk to the princess.

Finally, Dark grinned a bit. "Well, well..." he began, breaking the silence.

Link looked up from the spoon, frowning. He knew exactly what this boy was itching to talk about. Link pointed at him, his face twisted in a threatening manner. "_You_."

Dark paled for a second. Then he sat up. He had her secret... he should be the one in control. _Don't let her scare you, Dark!_

"Yes, me." He leaned on his hands, elbows planted on the table. "Don't be too upset, Princess. I merely suggested you were Princess Zelda at the arena, it was you who gave it away by letting my words literally disarm you."

"Don't get smart with me," Link growled. He pressed his hands on the table. He got right to the point. "You cannot tell anyone, you understand?! No one, ever!" Link felt himself shake with fear for his own life.

Dark tilted his head a bit. Did the princess look scared? "I won't, Your Majesty. After all, why should I judge a princess who wants to fight? Men shouldn't be the only ones who can use a sword when they want." He said this with charm.

Link blinked. He didn't know... he was a boy? Link suddenly realized that Dark only knew that he was _a_ Princess Zelda. That means... his secret was still mostly safe.

_Phew, _Link thought to himself. Still, if Dark talked about the duel, Link would still be in huge, huge trouble. Relief spread across his face. So Dark wasn't going to talk about it?

Then Dark continued, "So in exchange for my silence, I request one more duel."

The fake princess stared at him with contempt. "Excuse me?" Link put the spoon down on the table and leaned in closer, venom in his eyes. "You dare blackmail a princess?" he asked in a dark tone.

He watched Dark nod his head, with a smirk on his face. "Come on, Princess. What can you do? If you say anything, you will be in trouble." Dark was shocked at what he was saying to a princess. But he was on a roll, no longer in control of himself.

"Same to you."

"Sure," Dark shrugged. "But the difference is, I don't care." That wasn't true in the slightest, Dark wanted life. What he was doing was VERY bad, he knew it. But he couldn't control himself. His desire to duel this master again overpowered his rational thought. He just hoped the princess took the bluff.

Link thought about it. He watched the boy across of him. He looked serious about this. But even if this was a bluff, Link wasn't ready to take the risk. His life was literally at stake. He took a deep breath. One more duel sounded like a simple trade for silence. "Just one more duel?"

Dark nodded. "Yes."

"And how can I trust you on this? To keep quiet if I hold up my end of the bargain?" Link asked, folding his arms.

He found himself laughing. "You can't, really," Dark admitted. "But all I can say is I promise to keep my word. At this point, what do you have to lose?"

Link was silent for a moment. Dark could see a defeated look on his face as he stared at the table, thoughts racing through his head. Dark held up one finger. "One duel, one good duel. Last time didn't feel fair because I shocked you. This time, no tricks, just a pure, good match of skills."

Link scoffed, caving in. "Fine, one more duel. Tonight, meet me in front of the castle gate."

Dark grinned. "Of course, my lady. I'll see you there."

A servant suddenly entered the yard. Link sent one final glare at Dark.

"Don't be late."

Dark grinned at him as Link said this. "Never."

* * *

><p>"I wonder what they are talking about..." The King said to himself, watching Dark and Link talk from the balcony, unseen. Orland held his hands behind his back, laughing. "I am surprised, Your Majesty, at this arrangement." Orland had a smile, but was frowning internally. He looked at the King's back, watching him carefully. The King has so little trust. Orland had thought of this tea party as a way to improve relations between Hyrule and Labrynna. It was clear now it had been a test. No guards or servants to watch, to see if Orland or Dark would act upon Princess Zelda.<p>

The King turned, his eyes showed a hardened soul. "I'm afraid I had no choice. I'm sure you understand." His eyes looked down a bit as he trailed into thought. "Times have been... troubling."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Orland gave a small bow. He looked towards Dark. That boy seemed to be in deep conversation with Princess Zelda. _What is he up to? I know that smirk anywhere..._ he thought, then to the king added. "I understand. After all, my own king appointed me as his personal guard for similar reasons."

Orland saw the King pull on his beard as he had said this. "... You said that boy is training to replace you?"

"In a way, my lord. He is to be our prince's personal guard upon his completed training."

He continued to stroke his beard. "And you and your boy there are to be here for a while longer, huh?" Orland gave a nod in response.

The King finally had a smile. "I see." He turned and walked away from the balcony. "A personal guard, huh? That's a wonderful idea... a wonderful idea indeed... Sir Orland, come. I have something to discuss with you."

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><p><strong>Next chapter: Don't Panic<strong>


	7. Don't Panic

**I don't usually want to say too many random things, but hey, what about netflix creating a live action Zelda show? Huh, not really sure how I feel about that, to be honest. I'm kinda against it, but I know I'll be that person, stuffing popcorn in my face, and holding my hand up to whoever talks to me as I watch it for them to be quiet. But, I've seen the history with the Zelda series becomes a show... I've seen things that cannot be unseen...**

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><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 7: Don't Panic

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><p>It felt like his birthday as Dark sprinted up the empty street in the dead of night. He couldn't stop grinning with excitement as he ducked into an alley when a few guards walked by, doing their rounds.<p>

He had had a hard time containing his giddiness in front of his master after the tea party. On the way back to their current home, Dark knew he had a look of pure, undeniable joy. His master had been peeling an orange, regarding him quietly. _Huh. Maybe I should force him to hang out with girls more often, _Orland had thought.

They didn't speak much about what happened at tea, and frankly Dark didn't care if they had or hadn't either. He wasn't particularly curious about what his master had gone to do with the king, his mind too wrapped up about what was to follow that night. Instead, he had pretended to read a book after they got home, as his master seemed to sit quietly. If Dark hadn't been so wrapped up in himself, he would have noticed his master's unusual behavior.

What hadn't been unusual was the alcohol his master consumed that night, and the moment Dark heard the ringing thud of solid metal hitting the ground followed by a soft snore, Dark had threw the book away and took off.

As he peeked around a corner to check for guards, the same thoughts kept running through his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about his extreme luck in all of this. Not only had he been right, but he managed to convince the princess to duel him again. Then he thought about the malicious ways he had gone about doing so, and each time this thought ran through his head, his hand instinctively went up to his throat as he imagined the guillotine (which no one used in this day and age but the thought was still there).

But it was his final thought that fueled his excitement. _The way she fights... it's so beautiful. _He had to fight that beauty again. He couldn't wait.

He finally reached the castle gates, and looked up at the large stone doors that were shut firmly. He turned slightly to check around him, his fingertips resting lightly on his sword. He could see why Princess Zelda chose this spot to meet, it was surprisingly empty for being so near the castle. However, where was the princess herself? He frowned a bit as he looked for any indication of her presence. What if this was a trap? He hadn't really thought of that; he figured the princess's desperate desire to guard her secret would be security that she would keep her word. But as the seconds turned to minutes, his overactive imagination acted up. Maybe she never planned to show up at all. Maybe she planned for the guards to jump him and throw him into jail. Or worse... She did pretend to poison his tea today, after all.

With this in his mind, he froze when he first a few distant voices, and looked up to see a flickering light of a torch when some guards on the top of the castle's wall passed by. Flight took over, and Dark pressed himself against the wall's cold stone, pulling his hood further down his face to blend into the shadows. When he saw the light turn out of sight, he checked to see if they were truly gone before releasing his breath, which he realized he had been holding. _They didn't seem to be looking for me..._he thought.

"You finally made it," Dark suddenly heard from above him, causing him to jump in his own skin. Dark whirled around to see a masked Princess Zelda jumped down from a tree. Dark hadn't even known she was there.

Dark watched as she landed on her feet and folded her arms. "You're late," she scoffed. She wore the same outfit as she did as the Graceful Mask.

Dark grinned, ignoring that comment as he recovered from his initial shock. _She's keeping her word_. "Your Highness." He placed his hand on his stomach and gave a small bow. "You climb trees, fight with a sword, and duel in an illegal arena. You are a strange princess." He pulled off his hood as he looked at her closely."Though, I believe it is you who is late. I was here first, I'm sure."

Dark heard the princess snort from under her mask.

"Hardly. I watched you arrive from the tree," Link responded with amusement, keeping his distance from Dark. He seriously had no reason to trust this boy right now, and wanted as much distance as he could manage between them. Dark understood this, even _he_ wouldn't trust a person like him if he pulled the stunts he did in the past few days either.

What he didn't understand was why Zelda didn't come forth right away. Dark couldn't help but ask, "Why? Why didn't you say anything when I first got here?" _Wow, she really looks like a man in that outfit, _he noted to himself. _Does she bind her chest? _

Link wasn't surprised by the question. He gave a shrug. "I wanted to see how serious you were, and if you would decide to bring any uninvited guests. But you clearly came alone." Dark thought he heard some relief in his voice as he said that.

"Fair enough," Dark said. "Though, it's just the two of us, why wear that ridiculous mask?"

Link touched the mask as he responded. "You never know who is watching."

Dark pulled his hood back up after he said this. Yes, that was quite true. His mind wandered to the elegant woman that seemed to find him adorable and predictable.

He heard Link take a deep breath. "Alright, there's no guards, this is a good time to go."

Go? Dark tilted his head at the word as he slowly realized that fighting here was probably not an intelligent move. Too much noise would alert the guards. "Not fighting here, are we?"

"No." Dark watched as the princess looked up at the wall. "Too risky." After a quick look around, Link motioned for Dark to follow. "Let's go." And with that, he took off.

The princess led him many streets and alleys. Dark nearly skipped after, almost giggling with glee at the thought of the approaching duel with this master swordsman. Link kept glancing back at him, noticing a few odd things here and there. _Is he giggling? What a creep, _Link thought with disgust.

Finally, they reached one of the city's entrance gates. A few guards were posted at the large wooden doors, talking quietly to each other. Another guard had also been posted there, but he had snuck off to play with a stray puppy that came around the area. Dark looked over at his rival, wondering what they were to do next. The princess kept her head low behind a crate, watching the guards for a moment, before creeping farther into the shadows. Dark's eyes followed her. He glanced at the guards again, then went after Link. He watched as she grabbed some of the stones from the wall that protruded out slightly. "Come on, Frosting Boy, do what I do." Dark frowned. Frosting Boy? Then Dark's face turned a nice shade of red as he realized the princess was referring to that embarrassing moment at the birthday party.

He watched as Link climbed the wall. Link forced his arm to move, despite the pain that shot through it each time he applied pressure. Link couldn't believe what he was doing to keep a secret. He wished he could just throw Dark in jail, but that would jeopardize his own safety. Besides, even after this fight, what if Dark still decides to talk? _I feel like I'm screwed either way, _Link thought as he reached the top. _Either I fight and hope he keeps my secret, or he reveals it regardless of what I do._ Link gripping his hair as he freaked out silently about what the future may bring.

Seeing the guards were not paying attention, he motioned Dark to climb quietly and quickly. Dark stared at the wall. He couldn't even _see _all the stones she used to climb up the wall like a monkey. Still, he was not about to let the princess show him up. Grabbing the few stones he could see, he pulled himself up the wall slowly. He grimaced a bit at the feeling of grime and rot that had built up on the ledges under his fingers, wet and mushy. The higher up he got up the wall, the less of the stones he could see, and the more grime he felt. He used his fingers to feel for a large enough surface to grasp.

His left hand grabbed the top of the wall, and he pulled himself up with a gasp. "Phew..." he mumbled, wiping his hands on his cloak.

"Hey!" Link called over in a loud whisper. "Come on!" When he finally got Dark's attention, Link showed him where a large tree had grown near the wall's outer side. Pressing his finger against his lips to remind Dark to be quiet, he jumped towards the tree. He grabbed the nearest branch and let his weight pull him down closer to the ground. When it went as far as it could go, he released to drop down safely. The branch snapped up the moment the weight on it was gone and the sound of rustling leaves startled Dark. He froze in surprise at what this crazy princess had just done, and whipped around to make sure that the guards were not alerted by the sudden sounds. One guard had turned his head, but he didn't seem concerned.

Link tapped his foot impatiently, watching Dark fidget on the top of the wall. _I don't have time for this... _Link thought, waving his arms at Dark to move faster. He watched as Dark finally followed suit, though perhaps not as gracefully. Dark's hand let go of the branch too soon, and he landed hard on the ground. Dark winced as shivers of pain ran through his legs. When they had passed, he stood to see Link already running away from the city.

After they both ran for a few minutes, Link finally stopped in the field. Dark gazed back at the castle. "We are fighting here?" he asked with amusement, as Link pulled out his sparring sword from its sheath.

"We are far enough away where the guards won't see or hear us from this side," Link responded, getting into a stance, holding the sword in his right hand. "And there is a natural barrier around this part of the field, so we won't see many travelers or animals here, just in case."

Dark grinned at the speed of which this was taking place. Princess Zelda wasn't wasting any small talk. "You move fast, princess!" he chuckled, casting off his cloak and unsheathing his own sword.

"I want this over with," the princess replied, as if this was only common sense.

Dark shrugged and got into his own stance. He had no complaints against that, but many questions did run through his head he wanted so desperately to ask. Where did she learn to fight, for example? She had been fighting for nearly nine years at that arena, she had been so young then! His curiosity got the better of him. "I must say, I'm surprised you knew how to get out here. Come here often?" he asked, partially jokingly.

Link growled a bit at the question. "That's not really any of your concern. But if you must know, no I don't. That was my first time doing that."

"What? No way!" Dark exclaimed, nearly standing out of his battle stance. "But what about the... the stones and... tree..." his voice trailed off, unable to form words in his confusion.

He saw Link's shoulders move in a shrug. "Someone told me about the stones a long time ago. As for the tree... I just sort of hoped it would work." And that was all he had to say about it.

Dark's jaw dropped for a moment. His admiration for this girl grew instantly. She had guts, that's for sure. Crazy as hell, but certainly brave. But as he watch her, waiting for his moment to start this duel, something felt off. _What was it? _he asked himself.

Silence fell between them as an unofficial agreement went between them to start the fight. Dark pushed all his thoughts out of his mind. _I must not get distracted, _he told himself. Princess Zelda was too skilled for him to take it easy. One wrong move, and Princess Zelda _will _win.

Like their first fight, neither moved right away. A small breeze swept through the field, causing Dark to shiver a bit, but he kept his eyes locked on his opponent. Although he couldn't see Link's eyes, Dark knew he was doing the same.

This time, it was Link who grew impatient. Gripping the hilt tightly, he suddenly dashed forward, determined to end this fight quickly. When he was close to Dark, he took a stab at him. Dark easily parried his move.

_That felt weak, _Dark noted as his sword slid against Link's in an attempt to disarm him during his block. Link twisted his sword free and struck again. And again.

Dark easily stopped his attacks. Dark couldn't help but frown a bit. Princess Zelda wasn't fighting like she had with him before. It felt different this time. Weaker, slower, and desperate. Only the last part made sense to Dark. Why would the princess be fighting so sloppily?

Shaking these thoughts out of his mind, he blocked again and followed up with a strike of his own. Link managed to raise his sword up in time, but the heavy, trained blow was met with a untrained one. Link felt himself struggle, his hand shaking violently. He was not using his dominate hand, and he could feel the effects in the way he was fighting. He had been using his left hand for so long that he never took the time to train his right one.

Without letting up, Dark struck again and again. Link found himself taking steps back with each blow, his grip on his sword getting weaker and weaker at each clash of their swords. Trying to recover, Link wasn't able to block the next powerful swing of Dark's sword. It hit his left elbow hard, and Link let out a sharp cry of pain. It was already bruised there, and Link was sure he may have felt something slightly crack. Luckily, it had been the broad side of Dark's sword, and they were using sparring blades that were not designed to cut skin.

Dark seemed surprised that he landed a hit at all, as Link to jump back, holding his arm. _There's no way I can beat him in my state, _Link thought to himself, _unless I am willing to take the time to do so._ Link never left the castle on this night, and he was terrified that if he took too long, then someone would find out. Then is occurred to him as he managed to jump away to get more distance. Dark only asked for a fight. He didn't say how _long _the fight had to be.

Link quickly made a decision. Dark advanced, closing the space between them again and delivering another quick attack. Link continued to block for a few more minutes, before he let his hand give way. His sword landed with a soft thud on the grass. Link tilted his head back in defeat as the tip of Dark's sword went to his throat.

Dark frowned. He lowered his sword as Link dusted himself off. "Congratulations, you beat me." Link bent down and grabbed his sword. Dark watched as Link cleaned the grass of his sword. He won, but it had felt too easy. The fight was short, and last night he had struggled with the princess, but tonight it felt like he wasn't even trying. He had noticed how his shook tonight, but in the last fight with every blow Dark had delivered, Princess Zelda had blocked with a steady hand. So why would-

Then he realized. "Wait a moment... You didn't the same hand as last night!"

Link looked up from his sword, shocked that he had actually paid attention to that detail at all. _No way... ok, don't panic... _"You're crazy, you just weren't paying attention."

Dark shook his head, knowing for sure he was right. "I remember! You used your left hand at the arena! Tonight, you used your right!" Then he further went on realizing. "You threw the fight" A disgusted look crossed his face at the idea that the princess would just throw a fight like that and change her fighting hand, as if dueling Dark again was only a joke to her.

The princess was putting away her sword. "We fought fair and square," was her response. Link didn't want to talk more about this. "Now you keep your end of the bargain. Don't you dare back down."

Growling, Dark walked over and stabbed the dirt with his sword. "Oh no, we made a deal! I said one good fight! I wanted a duel of skills, but you didn't even try! You _let _me win! That wasn't the deal!"

"The deal was a duel for silence," Link shot back.

"No, the deal was a _good_ duel for silence! And that still stands!" Dark folded his arms. "You didn't hold up your side, so I don't hold up mine!" he threatened. He realized very quickly his mistake.

Princess Zelda's sword was suddenly at his neck. He barely had the time to block it with his own. "You are changing the rules," Link growled dangerously, ignoring the growing pain in his arm. Link was terrified of this boy. He was sly and unpredictable, for now. He couldn't believe he would reveal his secret for a stupid chance at a duel. "You dare to change the rules on me?"

Dark's hands shook as he was caught in a power struggle between the swords, power that had not been there before. He clearly pissed her off. He figured he already made the threat, now he had to follow through, despite the consequences. He let himself grin. "I don't always play fair. But in this case, it is you who changed the rules. I said a good duel. I haven't gotten that yet."

Taken by surprised, Link let up, stepping back. Link remembered Dark had mentioned something about a good duel, and Link had clearly not given him that. Dark was staring at him. "Why would you throw the fight like that?" he asked, clearly confused. He had thought Princess Zelda was serious about fighting, so why... He started to think about last night. The nasty punch he had thrown at Link, and now, with the reaction Link had after the good whack he had gotten on his left elbow... what if...

He rushed forward suddenly, which Link had not been expecting. He raised his sword, expecting a blow. Instead, he felt his left arm get grabbed by Dark and pulled towards him.

"Whoa!" Link gasped in surprise, his face nearly in Dark's chest as Dark saw the developing bruise.

His face twisted at the sight. He mentally took back all the nasty things he had just thought of about her. This looked nasty, that would make sense why she would use her other hand. "I didn't think I punched you _that_ hard."

Link pulled his arm away and took several steps back. He rubbed his injury slowly. "...You didn't, but you simply agitated an... old injury. And now thanks to this duel, it's only going to get worse."

Dark sighed, realizing quickly. "That means... I'm not going to get the duel I want, huh?"

The masked princess shook her head. "No. Not now, at least." Then she pointed her sword at him. "I gave you a duel! And now please, keep this quiet!"

Now Dark felt horrible. It now suddenly occurred to him the terrible things he had just put the princess through. Sneaking out at night, scaling a wall, and forcing her to duel him injured, just so he would keep her secret. A simple secret of sword fighting. She was fighting so hard to keep it a quiet. _Why?_

But now it was no wonder to him why she threw the fight. It was either because of the injury, or because she was scared of something else. Dark felt that normally, the princess would fight despite the pain she felt, so it had to be the latter. Perhaps it was the reason why she fought in secret.

Despite his questions, he gave a nod, deciding that he needed to stop acting so crazy. "Alright. I'll keep your secret."

"I'm begg... You-you will?" Link was stunned by his response. Frosting Boy had been so manipulative and cruel up till now. He lowered his sword. "Wow, I... I don't know what to say..."

Dark laughed at this. Her response was kind of cute. "Just say thanks, I'm doing you a huge favor!"

Link pulled up his mask to glare at him. He wanted Dark to see the nasty look he shot at him. "No, you aren't. And frankly, who knows if you will stay quiet? You know my secret, that makes you a liability to me. How can I trust you to seriously not tell anyone? "

He shrugged as he sheathed his sword and put on his cloak, ignoring the look. "There is honestly no reason for me to tell anyone. It's not like I'll gain anything from it. I guess I just understand, that's all. "

"Understand?" Link asked, in a dark but confused voice.

"Yes. I love to duel. I love the thrill and feeling of adrenaline through my veins." He gave her a smile. "Sometimes my need to fulfill my desire overpowers me." He walked over. "You do too, right? Love the thrill?"

Dark didn't see Link's stunned face as Link turned his head away from him. No, that wasn't it. Not really. Link was good at fighting, but it was more than that. It was the only thing that kept him who he was. His only source of freedom.

"I suppose," was his response. He pulled his mask down.

"So I'll keep your secret. Who am I to keep a fellow swordsman from her joy in life?" he asked charmingly.

Link had enough of this nonsense. He was grateful that Dark seemed serious, but that didn't matter. "Don't think this changes anything! I still find you insufferable. And I still can't trust you!"

"Oh, is that so?" Dark chuckled.

"Let's go, Frosting Boy," Link commanded him as he put his sword away. "I don't want to be discovered gone tonight."

Dark blushed deeply. "Please don't call me that..."

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><p>It was the next morning when Link's doom was sealed with the king's decision.<p>

"Your Majesty... please excuse me for saying so, my lord, but wouldn't that jeopardize everything we worked hard for?" Pipit asked bravely to break the silence. Zelda and Link were dumbstruck after the King's announcement.

"I've thought it over, and I believe it's a good move. Princess Zelda needs a personal guard. I believe that boy Dark to be the best candidate," was the King's response, but Link wasn't listening anymore.

Last night, both he and Dark had crept back into the city's walls, neither saying anything more to each other. Link's heart had finally began to relax with relief after Frosting Boy had agreed to keep his secret quiet. Dark had tried to offer assistance to Link while they climbed over the wall, remembering his injured elbow. Link's pride had rejected the help, but Link had smiled under his mask. _He can be chivalrous at times, can't he? _However, the moment they were over the wall, Link had slipped into the shadows.

He had thought he had left this horrible mess behind with Dark. Link honestly didn't know if he could trust him or not. Dark _was_ the Labrynna's prince's personal guard. If he decided to snitch, then Labrynna would know of the two Zelda's. That could cause a serious problem for Hyrule, to himself, and Zelda. They had been playing this doppelganger game for nearly ten years, meeting with many royals and nobles. Link couldn't say how they would react when they learned that they were most likely never in the true Princess of Hyrule's presence, but it was probably not going to be well received.

Yet, so far, Dark has kept his word. He had showed up last night alone, and while he insisted so rudely on a rematch, he had been kind last night. In a way. Cocky and way too confident, sure, but Dark didn't seem evil. Just a bit selfish and a slave to his desires.

Regardless of this, if Dark truly kept his word like he said, then Link would be relived to know that the disaster was over with. Now it looks like the nightmare will certainly continue. After all, Dark will be spending time with Link, not Zelda. That only seemed logical since Link had to perform all the social chores the princess had to do, which was a lot more than the political work required for their age. Which meant spending more time with that crazy person.

Hearing Zelda's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Yes, but Father," Zelda chimed in, clear discontent on her face, "We don't _know _this boy! What if he tries to hurt Link? Why don't we just have Pipit take on this job?"

Link tried not to gulp at her words. Well, that wasn't true, Link had started to getting to know Frosting Boy. As he thought about Dark again, all the positive things he had thought about Dark were gone. _Dark is a manipulative, fighting-hungry, cocky little-_

"I've already talked to Sir Orland about this. He feels that Dark has been getting lazy with the practice, and believes that this could help improve relations between us. Furthermore, Dark has experience. Sir Orland says he's one of the best at his craft. He will be good for a trial run. If he does a good job, then we can start to find someone who can permanently be your personal guard."

Zelda folded her arms. "And what if he finds out that Link is a man, and not really me?! Then what?"

The king held up his hand for her to be silent. He looked irritated. "Enough," he said with authority. "The boy won't follow Link around everywhere. It will just be for during the day, around the main castle area. He will not guard you, my dear, so he doesn't pick up on our secret. If he gets to know Link too well, he may find something strange if he spends time with you. And furthermore, they will only be here until the negotiations are over with. I have made my decision, so do not test my patience."

Zelda just stood there gawking at her father, as the king turned his head to look at Pipit. "I have some matters to discussed with you. Come with me."

"Yes, You Majesty," Pipit replied. As the king strolled through the door, Pipit gave a worried look at the two teens before following.

When the door closed behind them, Zelda stormed about. "This is a stupid idea! Father is insane!"

Link sighed, not having much to say. He felt very guilty for the secret he was keeping from Zelda right now. How could he tell her, though? _Oh, Zelda, by the way, I actually have been dueling in an underground tournament every week for nine years, and Dark found out and now we just had another secret fight. _"At least he won't figure out our secret..." he said.

Zelda continued her rant. "That's because Father keeps me locked up in a cage!" She leaned out the window, gripping the stone ledge. "I only get to go out to do negotiations. I'm only out for a short enough time so that people don't start picking up on small clues that there are two different people acting as Zelda! And now, all those years of suffering you and I did may go to waste by this _stupid _act." She turned to face him. "Just do your best, and when I become queen, I'm going to free you."

Link blinked at this. He blushed a little. "Free me?"

"Yes, of course! Then you can go do whatever you want! You can learn how to use a sword properly! I know you used to be really good before..." her voice trailed off. Link knew what she was referring to. The fire.

She walked over and sat down next to him. "Father can't make you do this forever, you know. Eventually, you will have to be your own person. I'll make sure it happens."

Link smiled at her. He pulled on his nightgown's sleeves, making sure his bruise was covered so she couldn't see. He didn't often wondered about the future. The king had threatened him with death if his secret ever got out. He tried not to think about the day he had to stop playing as the princess. He was afraid of what the king may do.

"I would love that," he said with a smile.

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: The Confusion of Attraction with Admiration<br>**

**I simply wanted to say thank you to Naughty Jesus (fabulous name, by the way) and AnnoyingSword217 for their wonderful reviews. And to JCgurl201 (and the guest). Wow, guys. It's reviews like yours that make me feel I must be doing something right. Thank you so much! I hope you continue to enjoy the story.**

**I also want to thank Imagination that for your review. Your questions brought up some things I did not think about, as well as a few ideas for down the line. I promise that some of your questions will be answered, eventually. I do hope you like how the story will turn out, though I honestly cannot say more than that. Thank you for your help (even if you didn't intend to do so ;) )!**

**And thank you to everyone who is following or has favorited my story, or has favorited me as an author. Your quiet support helps me go on as well.**


	8. The Confusion of Attraction

**I'm very sorry for the late chapter. This chapter was very difficult to write. **

**Currently working on a new summary, do not panic if you notice it the summary change. This does not mean the summary will change for sure. However I feel as if the current summary is not very good.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 8: The Confusion of Attraction with Admiration

Dark had simply, and wrongly, assumed that after last night his adventures in Hyrule were over, and honestly anyone would have thought so. He had made his promise with the princess to leave her alone. And despite his overwhelming longing for another amazing duel with her, he wouldn't go back on his word for several reasons: He was a man of his word (for the most part) and he didn't want to make things worse for himself and his master during negotiations. Protection was needed for Labrynna, Dark finally remembered, and he grudgingly reminded himself that succeeding on their mission was a lot more important that sneaking off at night for blackmailed duels.

So during the following morning, as Dark rubbed his sleepy eyes from after a long night, he got a surprise when his master informed him of the amazing news.

Orland kicked Dark's bed to jolt him awake. "Up and at 'em, kid! Get your uniform on and lets go!"

The young man yawned and stretched as he sat up, struggling to keep his eyelids open. "Wha... what are you talking about?" he asked groggily. He pulled the soft blankets around his shoulders, wanting to refuse his master's demand to wake up.

Not having any of that, Orland grabbed the blankets and whisked them off Dark. Dark was too tired to even reacted, so his hands stayed in their positions as if he still held the blanket until Orland flicked his ear hard. Dark gave a quick cry of pain as he covered his ears. "Ow, hey!"

"You are working today, lad! No more lazing about and relaxing!" Orland announced. "You are the new Hyrule's Royal Family Personal Guard, in training."

It took Dark a moment to process what was said to him. He just continued to rub his pained ear with annoyance, before he jumped out of bed. "WHAT?!" he exclaimed.

"The King of Hyrule and I had a heart to heart chat yesterday," Orland informed him. "I personally feel that you are starting to get flabby with your lack of practice; you are going to fall behind on your training if you keep this up. And the King felt a trial run of a personal guard was a good idea, since he is always worried about his daughter. It's the perfect arrangement." Orland looked rather proud of it, even though he knew it hadn't been his own original idea.

Dark stared at his master in absolute shock. He was going to be the personal guard of Princess Zelda?! The girl he blackmailed into sparring him? The girl who constantly threatened his life since he found out her secret (which was logical) and who already proclaimed her hatred for him?! His master _had _to be kidding.

Yet, despite these problems, Dark oddly didn't really feel upset. With this new arrangement, Dark would now get to spend a lot more time with the princess. Maybe get to know her better. Dark heart fluttered at the thought; after all, she _was_ an amazing swordsman.

"O-oh..." was Dark's response. "So that's what you two went off to talk about." He stretched again, finally fully awake.

A look of surprise crossed Orland's face. He walked over and felt Dark's forehead with the back of his hand. Dark pulled his head away as he saw his master reach up to check his temperature. The gesture was completely out of character. "_What_ are you doing?" Dark asked, confused and convinced a demon had possessed Orland.

"Checking to see if you are dying. I was expecting you to throw a tantrum at the thought of being someone's personal guard that wasn't the prince," Orland said, successfully landing his hand for a moment on Dark's skin. "Hmmm... nope, you seem healthy. At least in body, who knows about in mind."

Dark turned bright red at the suggestion of such a juvenile response and smacked Orlan's hand away. "I'm fine!" he scoffed. He folded his arms, irritated. "And it wouldn't have been a tantrum. Maybe a mild argument..." It was true that when Dark first arrived here in Hyrule, he _would_ have been very upset at the idea of being Princess Zelda's guard. He had whined and moaned for just being away from the prince and from home when they first arrived. But now that he had actually met the princess, he found himself not minding everything so much anymore. After all, Hyrule was interesting. So was the Princess...

Orland shrugged his shoulders. "Still had to check. Now get dressed, boy. There should be a carriage coming today to pick you up, and we don't want another bad impression by you being late!" Grabbing an unopened bottle of whiskey, Orland quickly retreated to eat downstairs.

Upon the moment the door closed, Dark sprang into action. He nearly tore his clothes as he pulled them off to put on fresh ones for the day, excited for another chance to be around the princess again. While he may have agreed to keep her secret, and therefore leave her alone, he still felt as if he was special. He knew a side of her that no one else did. That made him giddy with excitement. This was an amazing chance.

Strapping his sword to his waist, he ran a brush through his hair and sprinted out the door and down the stairs, not bothering to lock it behind him. As he rounded the corner on the staircase, he saw Orland talking to that woman, the one from the negotiations and the one Dark had ran into in the street a while ago. Orland was smiling and kissing the woman's outstretched hand. "Miss Victoria, a pleasure to see you again."

_It's her! _Dark recognized instantly. Shocked that she was here, Dark missed the last step and crashed into the floor, as the woman watched. She covered her mouth as she giggled, while Orland turned with a look of complete and udder horror, shock, anger, and embarrassment.

Orland leaned closer to the woman, holding a hand next to his lips to whisper, "Please forgive my... young apprentice's appearance. Girls have been making him a bit flustered and aloof as of late."

"It's alright, darling, I think it's rather adorable~" the woman laughed, then sent a wink Dark's way. Dark burned red as he got himself off the ground and came over sheepishly. What was she doing here?

His master folded his arms at him, but kept a charming expression. "Dark, this this Miss Victoria, the King's adviser's personal assistant. She will be giving you instructions today about your job, as well as taking to the castle. I believe you met at the negotiations the other day."

"Why yes, we did, didn't we, Sir Dark?" Victoria winked at him again, as Dark gave a quick bow to hide his growing blush.

"I-it's nice to see you again, Miss Victoria," Dark tried to say louder than a mumble. He was a bit flustered from embarrassment of his fall and shock that she was here. This woman made him nervous for some reason; she said she was an ally the last time they met, but her uncanny appearances in his life were starting to grow in number.

The door to the inn was open, and the horses to the carriage outside stirred. As Victoria turned to see the commotion, Orland whacked the backside of Dark's head, for punishment for his behavior. Dark' shoulders tensed at the hit, and he rubbed his head as she turned back around. "Alright, young Sir Dark, we should get going," she informed him. "Sir Orland, enjoy your day." Dark looked up at his master, confusion on his face. His master wasn't coming?

Orland grinned, seeing Dark's look. "I'm not coming today, boy! Today is my day off, I've got big plans!" He smoothed his hair back at the prospect of his plans for the day, and Dark grimaced at what those plans might be.

Victoria smiled pleasantly and indicated towards the carriage. "Shall we, darling?" Before Dark could give a reply, she turned on her heel and strolled towards the carriage.

As Dark went to follow, Orland grabbed his arm. "Don't do anything stupid," he hissed. "Have your best manners, boy, especially in front of that charming Miss Victoria. No more of that tripping over your own feet nonsense."

Dark gave a quick nod, and a "Yes, sir," as he pulled his arm away and quickly caught up to the large woman.

He soon found himself on his way to the castle, sitting in an extremely nice carriage, lined with soft red fabric on the inside. Dark glanced around, comparing it to his prince's carriage at home, in order to distract himself from his nerves for the upcoming day with the princess, and from the woman sitting across from preferred the blue of the carriage back home, he decided, though perhaps the red was nice too.

This all felt surreal. What were the odds that he would actually become the princess's personal guard for the time being? It truly didn't feel real yet. Dark was still excited, however.

Victoria sat across from him, glancing over some papers for a moment before looking up towards him with a sly smile. "Boys are still so predictable. I assumed that you wouldn't have eaten breakfast yet. Ah, to be young, waking up so late in the morning." She passed over a basket. Dark peeked under the cover, to see fresh bread and cheese inside.

"Thank you," he couldn't hide the surprise in his voice. He was too excited to eat at the present moment, so he put the basket aside. He hoped he wasn't appearing rude, or else his master would kill him. Then go into the afterlife and kill him again. Of course, if his master knew his... behavior of the past few days around the princess, even that would seem merciful.

Dark rubbed his hands together, unsure of what to say next. His embarrassment from earlier stifled his usually forward and cocky nature. Victoria flicked her hair over her shoulder as she laughed at his shy behavior. "So adorable," she cooed, giving Dark a wink. "Darling, relax, I promise I don't bite... much." She chuckled again to herself. "Unfortunately, I'm not here on a pleasure ride. I'm here in place of the King's adviser today. I'm afraid once again, he's too busy to be taking the time for trivial matters" Dark felt himself frown. Meeting with a personal guard of the future ruler of his country was trivial? He could feel himself starting to grow a great dislike for the man.

"While I would love to play, we do have some important matters to go over," she continued. "Such as your duties, and the schedule for the upcoming weeks." She indicated towards the basket. "You will want to eat, darling, you have a busy day ahead of you."

As Dark finally complied and ate, Victoria broke down his duties. He was to be with the princess from morning until evening, but he was not allowed anywhere near her living chambers and he was to talk to her as little as possible. He would not accompany her on the scheduled days of negotiations, and if the King felt that Dark did not do his job to the King's liking, he would be escorted off the castle's grounds and asked to not come back. And finally, if Dark notices anything unusual with the princess, he was to inform the King personally. Dark finished the food as he listened to the last these rather odd instructions.

Did that imply that the King suspected the princess's secret? Dark felt his eyebrows knit together, as a feeling of desire to protect the princess's secret grew. Could he keep secrets from the King? Dark thought about the princess, not hearing Victoria's next words. The fear in Princess Zelda's eyes as she had begged Dark to keep her secret was still fresh in his mind. She was truly terrified, most likely of something Dark did not know about yet.

Dark made his decision. Yes, he could keep a secret from the King, if it meant protecting a fellow swordsman.

"... is the day of negotiations concerning your country's request of protection," Victoria said, snapping Dark back down to earth. "And in roughly a week or two is the Ball of the Three Goddesses. You are going to see a lot of servants running around cleaning and preparing for the big day, so please just stay out of their way, darling~"

"The Ball of the Three Goddesses?" Dark asked. He had heard of this festival, but he and the prince never had the chance to go. They had been too young to attend, and this year would have marked the year the prince would have had a chance to come. But because of his sickness, the prince was once again not allowed to attend.

"Why, yes. I'm sure you have heard of it, it's to give thanks to the three ancient goddesses for giving us life. There are many street festivals in the city, but at the castle there is a fabulous ball, where all the nobles and allies of Hyrule attend. It's such a shame that your prince can't join his father this year in coming to the ball, but I understand he is unwell." She placed a hand on her cheek and sighed with pity. "The poor lad. But this year, if the negotiations are not complete by the time of the ball, you will probably attend as the princess's guard."

Dark felt guilty that he could possibly go when his prince, who had been wanting to go for years, could not. He looked up towards the castle as they rounded the corner facing the main gates. Was this all really happening? Was he really preparing to guard the princess? Why was it happening so quickly?

"Now," Victoria said, "Let me tell you where you will meet her today..."

* * *

><p>"If you even look at that dress again, I will cut off your fingers and burn them along with the dress before your very eyes," Zelda stated from her corner, not even bothering to look up from her book.<p>

Link's hand froze on the wardrobe's handle. "If you do that, then you will have to cut your fingers off too," he reminded her, his fingers twitching to open the door.

"Trust me, Link, I would feel less pain if my fingers were cut off than I would feel seeing you wear that absolutely terrible dress out in public. Again," she replied as she turned a page. "It's a price I am fully willing to pay. I honestly don't want to bring up the year everyone thought I had bad taste."

Pulling his hand back, Link mumbled under his breath. "That was one time..." After a moment of consideration, he threw open the doors. "Fine, then I suppose you already know which one you want me to wear?"

The princess laughed. "Of course. The green one, it suits you best." Link took a quick glance at the dress she was referring to. It was slender, sleek, and elegant. This dress required a lot of padding to match Zelda's... shape, because it fit well to the body and showed off curves. Keeping his back turned to Zelda as he paled a bit as his eyes scanned over the sleeves. They were short, which would reveal his injury.

"U-um... How about the red one?" he asked. Normally, Link was all for the dresses Zelda picked out, despite his love for the dresses she deemed worthy of only demon spawn (all of which were uniquely made, with many bows and ribbons sewn on.) But today, Link was afraid of in injury being discovered.

"The red one?" Zelda asked, finally looking up from her book. "Link, it's too warm for that dress today. You are going to melt in it if you wear it, you should wear something with short sleeves."

Link still took the dress out, running a hand down the fabric to smooth the wrinkles. "I'll be fine! I'm just feeling red today!"

Not hearing another protest, Link quickly dressed into the outfit. She was right, it was hot, but he didn't have much choice. Zelda watched as Link fixed his hair, before finally standing up and coming over to hug him. "Just stay calm Link. I know that having that new guard is nerve wrecking, but you can do it!" She smiled at him through the mirror. "I'll talk to Daddy about getting rid of that guard, you just put on your best acting face, ok?"

Smiling in return, Link gave a silent nod as a promise to do so.

Once ready to go, Zelda wished him luck again as he left the room and slowly made his way down the stone steps. Each step felt heavy as he knew he was getting closer and closer to that... that _jerk. _Even if he had promised to keep his secret, that fact that he had blackmailed him and had been so disrespectful to him was more than enough for Link to feel contempt for the young man. And now he had to spend hours every day with him until negotiations were over. Dark was lucky that the real Princess Zelda couldn't know about his true behavior and nature; Link would have made sure otherwise that Dark's blackmail was revealed.

Then Link gave a sigh. That was rather harsh of him to say. He couldn't trust Dark yet, but he seemed pretty sincere about keeping his secret. While Dark's tactics to get a duel out of Link was rather unorthodox, Link still had to respect Dark's ability to recall an opponent's skills and weaknesses. His attention to detail and ability to make conclusions were probably due to his training as a guard, but while still impressive, it worried Link that Dark might find out his more important secret: that he was a man. Luckily, Dark didn't seem _that _bright, so maybe he won't make the connection.

Link wandered to the courtyard, where he saw Dark standing there, waiting. Dark had been given an armband that identified him as a member of the Hylian Guard without actually giving him a full uniform. That made sens; after all this job was only temporary. His back was turned to Link as he watched the busy servants tend to the gardens.

Unable to face him yet, Link hid behind a pillar to take deep breath to calm himself down. _It's ok, Link, he's not going to figure it out. Just be super feminine and you got this. _After the pep talk to himself, he finally walked towards Dark, and cleared his throat to get his attention.

Dark turned at the sound, and gave a grin as he tilted his head. "Your majesty," he said politely, giving a quick bow. "It feels only like yesterday that we dueled, princess."

"Shhhhh, you idiot, no discussing that stuff here," Link hissed, glancing at some of the servants. "Servants are too gossipy for their own good, so no talking of you-know-what. Besides, _Sir_ Dark, if you are trying to be funny, it's not working." After all, they _had _dueled yesterday and being reminded first thing in the morning did not make Link happy. It made him nervous to the idea that Dark may actually break his promise.

Link watched as Dark brought his fist to his lips to snort with laughter. "I'm sorry, princess, I couldn't help it. I don't think they heard, though."

"Hmph." Link folded his arms and looked away. Dark adjusted his sword as he regarded the princess. _She has great taste in clothing, _Dark noted, admiring the red dress.

"Wearing sleeves?" he noted. "How bad is, well, you know," Dark tapped the same elbow on himself where the princess would have hers.

He just wasn't letting last night go, but at least this time it was about his well being. Giving a sigh, Link dropped his harsh attitude a bit. He checked to make sure no servants were in listening range. "Yellow and purple, it's going to remain there for a long time. Now, can we please stop talking about anything to do with last night?" he asked, not wanting to risk exposure anymore.

"Of course," Dark agreed as he rubbed the back of his head. He was just a bit worried, that was all. He felt glad that she seemed ok. "I'm sorry. For you-know-what and asking." A smile crept back into his lips. "So, where to, your majesty?"

Seeing that cocky smile return, Link felt that this was going to be a long, long day.

Dark soon thought the same thing. Because of the nature of being a princess inside a castle with an overprotective king, Princess Zelda had a boring routine. Unlike his prince, who had fencing and swimming lessons and would often take walks among his people, Princess Zelda spent most of her time picking out silverware and tapestry for the upcoming ball. Whenever the prince had to do this, he always let Dark help or give his opinion, but he didn't get that chance with her. Dark let out an exasperated sigh (but as quietly as possible) each time another servant approached them carrying napkins or vases for flowers. And when she was not busy with that, she would just walk the halls. It didn't help that she was clearly trying to ignore him as much as possible.

_No wonder she sneaks out to fight, this is awful,_ he complained to himself. He desperately wanted to talk to her, like he could with his prince, but the king's orders, as well as Princess Zelda's cold shoulder, made it difficult for him to approach her during the day. He watched as she waved her face with her hand, unaware she was uncomfortably hot.

It wasn't until a break for tea did Dark get the chance to talk to her again. Zelda took her seat at a small round table gracefully, as Dark took his place behind her. As a guard now, he wasn't allowed to join her for tea. He slouched with boredom. He had no idea why he had thought this would be a chance to get to know the princess better. If anything, a permanent wall was starting to be erected between them.

He was starting to feel defeated when the princess suddenly let out a very annoyed sigh. Dark snapped back into action as he noticed the princess was looking to her right, lips pulled tightly with distaste. Dark turned his head to see what she was looking at, and saw a very familiar looking face, but he couldn't place where he had seen it. Princess Zelda's birthday party, perhaps?

If only Dark had known what this encounter would turn into.

Dark and Zelda watched as Groose approached them with his two lackeys in pursuit. He was beaming, all his focus on Princess Zelda with a foolish grin plastered across his face. As he dramatically got on his knee for a flourished bow, Princess Zelda put on a fake smile. "O-oh, Sir Groose! You are back from your mission already, are you-Oh!" she exclaimed in surprise as Groose took her hand and pulled her closer. Dark's mouth nearly dropped open.

"Yes I am, Princess!" he proclaimed. "I traveled for days, all alone, without food and water, searching to eradicate the dreadful monsters that plagued the poor commoners!"

One of his companions leaned towards the other to whisper, "Even though we were with him the entire time..."

Groose only spoke louder to drown them out. "But I had to return as fast as I could, to see my princess's lovely face again!"

His words were positively sickening to Dark. _Who says cheesy lines like that?_ Dark wondered, itching to step in and stop this weirdo. Groose was a strange character with a ridiculous hairdo, of which Dark couldn't remember what it was called, and dopy, ugly yellow eyes. His appearance was off-putting to Dark immensely.

"Oh, that's so lovely to hear that you care so much about me," Link strained to say nicely, successfully managing to pull his hand back. Groose was constantly proclaiming his love for Link... Princess Zelda. It had been a wonderful vacation for Link when Groose was sent off to tend to some monster complaints. Now, Link had two idiots around him to ruin his day.

Groose, stood and leaned on the table, supporting himself on one arm. "I took care of those nasty creatures, so your majesty doesn't have to worry about them anymore." He somehow managed to make his muscles move while in his odd position. "No monster will ever hurt you, princess, not while Groose is around!"

Link felt an eyebrow twitch at this strange display. It was so hard to keep the smile on his face with Groose there and the sticky hotness he felt wearing the dress. He began to fan himself again.

Unable to take this anymore himself, Dark moved himself between Link and Groose, his hand gently laid on the hilt of his sword. He did not like how this freak was trying to seduce the princess like a bird shaking his tail feathers. It was disturbing. It bothered Dark a lot that someone else was trying to get close to Princess Zelda, though he didn't really know why.

He watched as Groose frowned at the intrusion. "... And who are you?" he asked in a growl, looking Dark up and down as he sized him up.

"Ah, right. Sir Groose, this is Sir Dark. He is visiting from Labrynna and negotiating on the behalf of his king and prince. He is currently continuing his training while being my personal guard for the time being. Sir Dark, this is Sir Groose, he is one of our newest knights," Link introduced them, instantly sensing a strange tension between them. This may be a perfect chance, Link realized.

The two swordsman glared at each other. "What?!" Groose exclaimed in anger. "This foreigner is your majesty's _personal _guard?!"

"I am indeed," Dark said, grinning.

"That's ridiculous! A foreigner like you shouldn't be the princess's personal guard! A _Hylian _knight such as myself should be her personal guard, it's only logical!" Groose was confused at the king would put the princess at such a risk. And angry that this pipsqueak was taking what should have been _his _place!

Dark puffed up his chest. "Well, I am her guard. I get to spend all day with her, from morning until night." His grin turned evil as he laughed. "I suppose I was better suited. It's only logical, I _have_ been trained for this sort of job."

Groose loomed over Dark with murderous intent. "Excuse me?" he challenged. "Are you suggesting you could actually be better than me, pipsqueak?" Glaring down at Dark's face, he suddenly rubbed his chin. He felt like he had seen this little brat before. "... Have we met before, shrimp?"

"I am _not _a shrimp," Dark growled back. "And I think I would remember a person like you who's brain is the size of a bird's brain."

Groose's companions let out a gasp at the insult, and quickly took a step back. Groose's eyebrow twitched. "That's it, pretty boy," Groose drew his sword. "Why don't you let Groose show you just how much more of a man I am?"

His itch for a fight getting the best of him, Dark unsheathed his own blade. He wasn't sure why he had gotten so defensive on Princess Zelda's behalf earlier, but now this got personal. "Sure, but only if you can point me in the direction of this man you speak of, since it clearly cannot be you!"

As Groose's nostrils flared with a desire to destroy, one of his companions approached him. "Um... Groose?"

"Not now, Cawlin, this child needs to be taught a lesson about respecting elders and people of class!" Groose roared, then went to smile at Princess Zelda. "Don't worry, princess, I won't hurt him... too..." He lowered his sword. "Where did she go?"

"Huh?" Dark then noticed as well that Princess Zelda had snuck off somehow during their growing argument. Link had cleverly taken the opportunity to make his escape. If Dark wasn't so pissed at the foolish knight, he would have started laughing at Princess Zelda had escaped. But it also made him look foolish in front of Groose as well, that Zelda slipped away completely unnoticed.

Dropping his weapon, Groose grabbed Cawlin by the collar. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER?!"

"More bad news, boss," the second companion said, as he pointed to an armored woman walking towards them.

"Crap..." Groose cursed under his breath. Collecting his sword, the three of them took off. "We will settle this later!" he called at Dark, making a I'm-Watching-You gesture.

"Coward," Dark mumbled under his breath. He sheathed his weapon as the woman went right up to him. He quickly looked the woman who clearly had Groose freaked out up and down. She had an interesting look, with flat black hair and brown, sleepy eyes.

"You ok?" she asked him, her face expressionless.

He nodded as she put her hands on her hips, watching the loons run the other way. "You will have to forgive him. Men in Hyrule don't have nearly the valor they used to have. I'll give him a talking to, you just keep that sword at your waist, yeah?"

Now embarrassed he had let himself act foolishly again, he gave another nod. "Yes, I will." It was a good thing she showed up, Dark may have actually fought Groose, which may have led to him being kicked out on his first day. Dark's hide would be on fire by his master's wrath if that had happened.

She looked slightly pleased, but Dark figured expressing emotions were not something that came easily to her. "Good. We don't want the new personal guard of Princess Zelda to get in trouble for misconduct, yeah? Sir Dark, is it? You may call me Ashei. I'm not really one for titles, so don't worry about adding Sir or Dame to it or anything. If he bothers you again, you just let him know that I'll be making sure it doesn't happen again."

"You're a knight?" Dark was surprised. From Princess Zelda's dilemma, he had figured that Hyrule didn't allow women to learn the ways of the sword.

"Knighthood is granted by lineage here in Hyrule, and my father was a Knight, so I was trained from childhood," was her reply.

Now Dark felt confused about Zelda's secret. Clearly, women _were _allowed to learn to fight. After all, Ashei here is a knight. Was it because Zelda was a princess? That made sense to him.

"By the way, Sir Dark, if you are looking for Princess Zelda, she went that way," Ashei pointed in the general direction of Zelda's escape, breaking Dark's thoughts. "You best do your job, I don't want to report you, yeah?"

"Ah, right, thank you, Ashei!" he exclaimed, remembering he had a job to do and gave a quick bow before running off to find Princess Zelda. With Groose around, and Princess Zelda making escapes like this, perhaps this job won't be so boring after all.

And not wishing to get fired, he better find Princess Zelda soon.

* * *

><p>Link finally slowed up, standing near a base of steps. He placed his hands on his knees to support himself, gasping for air. He looked behind himself to see if anyone had followed, but the hallway was empty.<p>

"Thank goodness," he panted, wiping the sweat of his brow. It was freaking hot. It was making it hard to breath. Zelda had been right, he shouldn't have worn this dress; it felt like he was being baked.

He went to stand up straight, but a sudden rush to his head caused him to nearly fall. His legs felt weak and were shaking, and he leaned against a wall to support himself. He squeezed his eyes together and pressed his cool hand against his forehead.

"It's so hot..." he complained quietly. He shook his head. "No, no, get it together Link, you are fine!" Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself off the wall to prove to himself he was fine.

Dizziness took over, and his vision blackened as he felt his consciousness slip away.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow, I honestly don't know what to say. To have this support that I'm having for coming back and writing this, with such wonderful reviews, I'm so touched and excited. You guys are the best, thank you everyone for your reviews, follows, and favorites! I appreciate everyone who takes the time to write a quick review.<br>**

**Next chapter: The Speed At Which Opinions Change  
><strong>


	9. The Speed at Which Opinions Change

**Chapter 8 has been fixed of mistakes, I believe. Dyslexia has struck again.**

* * *

><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 9: The Speed at Which Opinions Change

Coincidence is a strange phenomenon, and one that happens more often than people tend to realize. After all, it surely is a coincidence that Link looked shocking like Princess Zelda since they were toddlers, and that it had not been more than a year since the Queen's death that the fire that killed Link's parents took place. If the Queen had been alive, she would have insisted that they simply adopt Link. She and her husband had been friends with Link's father for years, after all, it would have only been natural for her to feel dutiful (as well as love for the child) towards raising Link. But she had passed away, and therefore had no say in Link's fate.

Often, people believe coincidence as some sort of divine intervention or destiny. Whether this is true or not frankly cannot be proven, but it wasn't clear to Dark what Victoria felt as he rounded the corner and smacked right into her, nearly knocking her over.

She took a few steps back to steady herself. "My my, history repeats itself again!" She smoothed out her dress and gave Dark an amused, knowing smile. "What a coincidence, seeing you again today! And where are you off to in such a hurry, darling?" she asked. "Looking for your princess? Gave you the slip, did she? She's a sly one." She inspected her nails as she continued, "Of course, my dear, all women are sly, aren't they? A lesson you should learn now."

Embarrassed, he gave a bow of apology. "I'm sorry!" He tilted his head to look up from his lowered height as he processed her next statement. "U-um..."

"So adorable, did I guess right?" she asked with a laugh, clearly already knowing the answer. "You better not let that handsome master of yours learn about this!"

Dark grimaced at the thought of mere concept of _anyone _finding Orland handsome. Then he paled and opened his mouth to defend himself, but was quietly silenced as she pressed a finger against his lips. "Shhh, relax honey, I won't tell a soul. In fact, I want to help you. After all, didn't I say I was an ally?"

"I... well, um..." Dark was flustered, fidgeting at her forward nature as she pulled her hand back. She was strange and kept popping up in strange places, but Dark felt relieved. She seemed to have his back, for whatever reason, and in this kingdom where literally everyone so far has threatened him in some manner, having one ally felt like relief.

Calming down a bit, he straightened up. "Do you know where Princess Zelda is?" he asked, hopefully this is what she meant by help.

He got it spot on. Victoria turned her shoulders to point in the opposite direction she had come from. "That way, darling. Just keep straight until you reach a staircase; that is where I saw her last." She ran a hand down her hair as she thought for a second before she continued. "Once you find her, you should check out the garden. We have a _beautiful_ fountain. Absolutely stunning. Perfect to sit by on a hot day like today."

He bowed in thanks and ran past her in that direction. She laid a hand on her lips as she regarded him, before chuckling to herself. Boys are just simply adorable~

Unaware of her thoughts, Dark jogged lightly down the open hallway, observing the massive courtyard as he ran by. Dozens of servants were tending to the garden, no doubt preparing as early as possible for that festival. He saw the huge fountain Miss Victoria had mentioned, featuring three young, celestial-like women; One towered over the other two with her arms spread out, and water poured from her hands. The second woman was bending over on the first woman's right, with her hands cupped in front of her as water spilled from them into the pool. The last woman sat at their feet on the left, one hand seemingly trailing the water's surface as her chin rested on the palm of her other opened hand, as water came from her lips. These must be the three Goddess Hyrule worshiped as the world's creators. Miss Victoria had been right, it was a beautiful fountain. His prince had no fountain like that, that was for sure.

Dark felt a smile tug at his lips as he thought of home. Hyrule's courtyard was certainly bigger, with clearly impressive fountains, but the Prince's gardens were more exotic, with imported flora and foreign architecture to give the garden a feeling of being in a forgotten land.

He was brought back from his thoughts as two servants suddenly rushed by with frantic looks on their faces. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness!" the larger one of the two exclaimed, fanning herself as she ran. Dark chuckled to himself as his imagination ran with ideas of what they were so concerned about. Perhaps they left the laundry out too long in the sun, or forgot to change someone's royal bed sheets.

He was completely unconcerned until a third servant met up with them, equally as frantic. "The princess isn't responding! Find Sir Pipit at once!" the servant ordered the pair.

_The princess isn't responding. _Dark whipped around, his stomach dropping as he darted forward and confronted the third servant. "What?! What do you mean the princess isn't responding?!" he demanded.

The servant was quick to answer, despite the confusion of wondering who Dark was. "Princess Zelda collapsed by the tower stairs! She's hardly breathing and unconscious!" he told him, but barely got to finish at Dark pushed past to find him at once.

His heart was beating with adrenaline and panic. _Shit, this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gotten up in Groose's face! _he blamed on himself as he rounded the corner, spotting a small crowd of servants. In the center laid Princess Zelda on the stone, skin red and unresponsive. Dark pushed apart the servants to get to her, noticing someone had put folded clean laundry under her head. Dark crouched down and took her wrist, noticing her skin felt hot. After a moment, he breathed a slight sigh of relief as he felt a pulse.

A servant he had pushed tried to move Dark out of the way, but was stopped by his friend. "That's the new personal guard, let him be!" she begged, but the man growled.

"What kind of personal guard lets the princess alone on his first day?!" he snapped. Normally, Dark would retaliate, but the man was right, Dark had screwed up. _Shit... shit, shit... I'm so sorry..._ He hadn't felt this concern for anyone except the Prince before, but he was too panicked to dwell on this.

"I found Sir Pipit, he's coming!" called a servant from a window. _Who is this Pipit? _Dark wondered, as a guard crouched down next to him.

The guard looked at Zelda's face before reaching for her sleeves. "I think she's having a heat stroke! You, help me rip off these sleeves so we can start cooling her off!" he said as he pointed at a young maid.

It took Dark a moment to register what he had said. Then he grabbed the guard's wrist to stop him. _No, they can't! If they do that, they will find her injury, and it's clearly not a bruise from a fall! _It was too big and broad for it to come from a fall.

"What are you doing?!" the guard gawked, pulling his arm back.

Dark wondered the same thing a bit as he realized that now he was in a bind. He had no reason to stop them other than not giving away her secret. He had to get Princess Zelda away from these people and fast. Without thinking, he scooped up the princess in his arms and stood, knocking the crouching guard over.

The servants freaked. "Don't! We don't know what type of injuries she has!" but Dark paid no heed. Heat stroke, huh?

Turning on his heel, he booked it down the hall, ignoring the cry of the servants, demanding that he come back or asking where he was going. Crossing the grass, the gardeners stared as he ran towards the fountain and jumped in, princess and all.

The water wasn't cold, but it was cool and refreshing. Dark bent down and lowered the princess as far as she could go without her face being covered. "Come on, Princess, wake up!" he shook her. "They are going to find out your secret if you don't!" he whispered the last part frantically as people darted over. "Stay back, give her space!" he called out to them, not wanting them to get any closer. If they did, they might hear them. Dark was committed to keeping his powerful princess a secret only to himself, or at least that's what he thought.

They backed up as Link started to came to, startled by the feeling of water. He jolted upright, then flinched and laid back down. "Ooohhh... my head..." he moaned, "What... happened? Why am I wet?" He blinked up at the figure looming above him, letting his eyes adjust, before he saw it was Dark.

"Y-you!" he exclaimed. He looked around. "... Why are we in the fountain?" he asked blankly, with a completely unamused expression on his face.

The young guard let himself take a sigh of relief before grinning at the princess. "Looks like you may owe me one, princess," he found himself saying. _What am I doing?!_ he asked himself, but the words kept coming out, "considering I kept your pretty little injury from being discovered."

"What are earth are you talking about? How does this have anything to do with taking a dip?" Link hissed at him.

"They were getting ready to rip off your sleeves to cool you off, since you passed out from the heat. I simply took a different route on doing that." He grinned further. "After all, I did say I would keep your secret."

Link did not know what to say. _Dark…. Really went that far to protect my secret?_ Link found himself look away, twisting his lips in guilt. He had been pretty harsh towards Dark. True, Dark was a jerk before, but it looks like Link can actually trust him in keeping his secret. Why would anyone risk looking like a fool and jumping into a fountain if they didn't intend to keep their promise?

Taking a deep breath, Link mumbled, "Thank you…."

Dark was taken aback. The princess was thanking him…. Dark felt his heart beat a bit faster, but he couldn't resist teasing her a bit more. "What was that? I didn't quite catch that."

"I sai-!" Link stopped himself from raising his voice. He just let himself smile. "Thank you. Seriously."

At those words, with that smile, Dark's face felt hot. "Er…." He hadn't excepted the princess to respond like that. Luckily for Link, Dark was too busy trying to hide his embarrassment when Link realized that the padding across his chest had gone limp and was starting to float away.

"GAH!" Link shrieked as he made a mad dash for them.

"What's wrong?!" Dark asked, noticing that the servants were trying to approach again, seeing that the princess looked livelier. Link crossed his arms across his chest.

"N-nothing! Ah, Pipit!" Link exclaimed, seeing his caretaker race over to them. Dark glanced over his shoulder to get a quick look at this Sir Pipit that the servants had been talking about. The knight had a baby face (etched with an expression of complete and total horror), but it didn't match his tall, completely capable-looking physique.

"What are you doing?!" Pipit roared, sending the ultimate death glare at Dark as he snatched the dripped wet princess away. Dark's face paled again. _Another person who wants me dead…._

"How dare you drop the princess into the fountain! What on earth you were thinking?!" Pipit snarled, then turned to a servant. "Get me a towel, quickly!"

"Pipit, it's ok, he helped me," Link said weakly. Even though he was conscious, he realized he still felt woozy. "Don't be too hard on him."

_Princess…._Dark stared at Link as he pushed his wet hair off his face. She was defending him.

"Tsk…." A servant came with a towel, and Pipit bundled Link up in it. "Fine, but you need to rest for the rest of the day. As for you!" Pipit directed at Dark, "Go home! Your services are done for the day!"

Dark's jaw dropped and he was speechless. Didn't he just save the princess? Why was he being punished? Despite the fact that he got her soaking wet, didn't he deserve a little credit?

Of course, he didn't know that Pipit was concerned with Link's secret, and less with the fact that Link fainted or was dripping wet.

As Pipit led the shivering princess away to rest, Miss Victoria came over, hands on hips, having witnessed the whole thing. "I must say, darling, that was quite a show, jumping into the water holding the princess like that. So unnecessary and dashing!"

As he stood, Dark wringed out his hair, his cheeks pink at her comment. She was right, now that he thought about it…. Jumping into the fountain was kind of overkill. Now he could hear the servants whispering about him, a bit was mockery, some was respect, and the rest of it rather nasty.

"I… well, I remembered what you said about the fountain, and so it was the first thing that popped into my head," he mumbled. "Lucky coincidence."

"Lucky indeed!" she agreed, looking him up and down. "Well, Sir Pipit has spoken. You better dry off and take the rest of the day off, darling. You can mess with so many people around here, but Sir Pipit is not one of them. Go get dried off, I'll arrange for a carriage to come pick you up."

He got out of the fountain, giving a small bow of thanks, and then went to found a towel. Groose came barreling down the courtyard, with his two lackeys barely keeping up with his incredible speed. "WHERE IS THE FALLEN PRINCESS?!" He skidded to a halt and adjusted his hair. "The great Groose will save the princess! Hee hee… then she will finally declare her love for me…" he giggled into his hand, seemingly forgetting that Link's faint was a serious issue.

Victoria pulled her lips together with annoyance. Then she covered her mouth to hide her smile. "Wrong direction, sweet pea, she's by the kitchens," Victoria fibbed, giving a wink. "I hear she was concerned about you and went looking for you."

His companions looked at each other as Groose beamed. "She shouldn't have, the precious angel!" He patted Crawlin's shoulder. "COME! The princess waits for me!" And then he was gone, prepared to make an epic rescue.

The moment he was gone, Victoria gave a dismissal wave at the servants. "Stop gawking, show's over." They quickly dispersed as she went to prepare for Dark's departure.

* * *

><p>Just as equally as Pipit, Zelda was livid. "Why in the hell did he throw you in the fountain?! What is this, some sort of bad plot?!" she growled, wringing out Link's dress as Link snuggled under the blankets. He was glad that he at least got to undress himself alone, to keep his bruise a secret a bit longer. He could try to pass it off as a bruise from the fall, but it wasn't fresh enough anymore to be convincing to those with trained eyes. It was better to just wait until it healed.<p>

Pipit's arms were folded, nodding in agreement. "That fool! Why is an idiot why like in charge of Link? How does he get up in the morning without hurting himself?!"

"Right?!" Zelda said as she hung Link's dress over the window ledge.

"Hold on, guys," Link mumbled, sitting up a bit. "He did what he thought best… I suppose… He's not that bad."

"Why are you defending him?" Zelda gawked. She literally stopped in her tracks. "You clearly didn't like the boy this morning, or yesterday. And now he threw you in a fountain, how does that change anything?!"

"Um… e-erm, well, it's complicated, but I don't think he's that bad!" Link stuttered in response, hoping he didn't sound too suspicious. Yes, Dark still had questionable morals, but he did find a way to keep Link's secret. Link rubbed his head. "Misunderstood, maybe, but not as bad as I thought."

Zelda looked closely at Link. "Is that so…"

Link nodded. Zelda shrugged, giving in. "Alright, well, you at least rest. I told you that dress was too hot. Be sure it pick out a better one tomorrow. Come on, Pipit, let's give him some privacy."

Link waved as they closed the door behind them. He looked towards the window and gave a tiny smile. Strangely, he didn't feel so concerned about Dark anymore. Dark may still blackmail him from time to time, perhaps, but Link felt his trust grow for the young man.

Then he grinned evilly. "I'm still going to call him Frosting Boy, as revenge for throwing me into water."

* * *

><p>When Dark finally got home, he found the room empty. Master was probably out chatting up ladies at some tavern without a care in the world. Dark rubbed his temples and gave a sigh. He hoped his future as a royal family guard didn't have him ending up like that greasy fool. But he was glad Orland was gone for the night. He didn't want to share his adventures with his master just yet. After all, he will either praise him for saving the princess, or whip his ass for tossing her into the fountain or (dare he should ever find out) for almost getting into a fight with a Hylian Knight.<p>

He stripped off his tunic and tossed it on a chair before crawling into bed. He pulled the blankets around him and stared at the wall in front of him, lost in thoughts.

Princess Zelda finally seems to be warming up to him. She was a truly amazing princes; Dark thought over and over again that despite her skill and strength how delicate yet... still muscular she had felt in his arms. She was beautiful and, when not threatening Dark, rather charming. Dark's heart fluttered a bit in his chest as he buried his head into his pillow.

He found himself looking forward to tomorrow for a new reason now. He looked forward to seeing that smile again.

* * *

><p><strong>Once more, thanks for reading or keeping up with my story all reviewers, followers, and those who favorited alike. I hope the new summary is far more decent than the last. (But I honestly don't know if it's better or not).<strong>

**What a cheesy chapter I wrote.**

**Guys, I have never reached chapter 10 in any of my stories. This will mark the first time, if I make it. It honestly came from the support I got, so thank you so much~ *bow* Here's to not screwing up on my behalf!**

**Next chapter: Upon Which Dark Discovers The Gods' Prank Called Love**


	10. The Gods' Prank Called Love

**Beautiful Blades**

Chapter 10: Upon Which Dark Discovers The Gods' Prank Called Love

"Eh? There's no water?!" Dark exclaimed, staring up at the young hostess in shock.

She bowed her head a bit. "Y-yes sir... Please excuse us, but water has been scarce lately. I hear the king is working on the problem, and that we should be getting water soon, but I'm afraid that our daily ration hasn't come in yet. We don't have enough to our usual breakfast today." She gave a hopeful smile. "If you don't mind, sir, I can provide a breakfast of fruits instead..."

"Ah... please..." he said distantly, his eyelid twitching a bit. _I'm not really sure how much the king is helping, actually... Princess Zelda did all the negotiations. The king's adviser didn't even bother to show up at that time, either._

It was true. It wasn't unheard of for future queens or kings to train for their roles, but Dark was rather surprised by the lack of supervision from the true king. Of course, there have been serious strains between the kingdoms over the past decade after the assassination of the Prince of Hyrule, and the brutal deaths of a Knight of Hyrule and his entire family. Dark had wished he could have a chance to duel that knight's son. But now he had the princess to duel instead. Well, he did have her to duel, but now he made his promise. He was starting to find it was rather hard to keep, his desire to fight was starting to boil.

The hostess gave a bow and scurried off. Dark watched her go, still lost in thought. Princess Zelda was surely a busy body. He spent most of the day with her yesterday, and while it was dull for Dark, he did notice that she was doing a lot of party preparations, while the king was nowhere to be seen or heard. Dark hadn't even seen the advisor since the princess's party, but he had a feeling that may have been due to Miss Victoria's influence. She also was present for the negotiations the other day, and also made the plans for more that were upcoming soon.

_Where did Zelda find the time to train with her working all the time? _he thought in awe. He gave a tiny nod of thanks as the hostess brought out a small plate of fresh fruit, and stared down at the food. _Well, at least Master didn't come home last night. Probably saves me from getting killed this time..._ Dark had already figured that his master would take the punishment route regarding yesterday's actions. Why would Orland pass up a perfect chance to smack Dark such as this?

Still, it didn't matter right now. Orland was probably passed out somewhere drunk. He would eventually show up sometime today, Dark just hoped it wouldn't be at the castle, in front of the princess. He didn't want the princess to watch Dark get put in his place.

Dark choked on an apple and coughed violently. He wiped his mouth, unaware how bright red he was. Just thinking about the princess, and her possible reaction to Orland beating the crap out of Dark made him embarrassed. Furthermore, why did he care so much?

The hostess ran over, hearing a customer in distress. "Are you ok, sir?" Seeing what the problem was, she set a cup down with a little bit of water in it. "It's not much, but this should help. Please be more careful in the future."

"Thanks." He drank it all in one gulp. He grimaced at the taste. It tasted like the water at the bottom of a barrel. Now that he thought about it, that's probably what it was. _How spoiled I am..._ he thought to himself. He was used to the clean water from the castle.

After he enjoyed a few minutes of his breakfast, the door suddenly opened and Ashei walked in, dressed in her unusual armor. She placed a hand on her hip and surveyed the room until she spotted Dark and approached him. A few guests stared, some started to whisper, and most just ignored the newcomer. Dark himself was surprised to see her here. "It's you! Er..."

"Ashei," she reminded him, emotionless. "What are you doing? Breakfast was hours ago, yeah? Are you not ready to go yet?"

"Go?" Dark blinked, wondering what she meant. _Hours ago? What the... the sun only rose a while ago. How early does she get up?_

"Miss Victoria asked me to pick you up this morning. Apparently that good-for-nothing Groose has it out for you now. I've come to accompany you today instead."

_That's right, _Dark remembered with a mischievous grin, _Groose practically fell over himself when Ashei came around. _Heh, this woman was certainly interesting. Hyule seemed to have a lot of interesting women here. Dark looked at her closely for a moment, wondering just how strong she was that her presence alone seemed to freak out a large man. Perhaps she could be another ally for Dark in this country?

"Let's go," Ashei said, breaking his thoughts. She then walked out without another word

"Ah, wait!" Dark called after her, raising his hand as if to grab her, but she either didn't hear or simply didn't think much of what he said. He watched as she turned down the road, leaving without him.

He pushed away from the table and chased after her, glad he was at least ready to go for the most part, but was devastated he didn't get to finish his food. He caught up after a few minutes, panting a bit, noticing that Ashei didn't bother to check to see if he was following or not. Ok, so, maybe she won't be an ally after all. She did help him the other day, but that was probably something she saw as a duty as a knight, not simply as a nice thing to do. And now she didn't seem to give him much mind at all today.

Dark watched the Ashei's back as they made their way through the town. Wasn't she going to mention something about yesterday at all? The fountain incident or how he almost fought Groose? He was sure that the former had least made its way throughout the entire castle by now. Either she didn't hear about it, or she didn't care.

By the time they reached the castle, Dark was gasping for air. Was he really this out of shape?! He must really be behind on training. He bent over and supported himself on his knees as Ashei waved to get the attention of a guard. Dark wished Miss Victoria had come to pick him up instead. He would have least gotten to ride in a carriage; Dark swears that Ashei walked faster than a horse trotting. He looked up to see the doors open. A guard pointed at Dark and said something to his companion. They both started to laugh.

_I knew it, the story did made its way around... So that means that Ashei literally just doesn't care. _Dark glared at the guards, hoping that would shut them up. Back at home, because he had authority over most of the staff (despite his apprentice status), this would have worked. But here, it didn't. They just grinned down at him and gave a mocking wave.

"Oi!" Dark heard Ashei finally say. He looked over to see her already past the doors. "What are you doing? Let's go."

He sent once last, unsuccessful glare at the guards before following her inside. The doors closed behind him and were locked. Ashei adjusted her armor on her arm. "You know your way around, yeah? The princess is waiting for you in the courtyard." And with that, Ashei strolled away, clearly have some other business to attend to. Dark didn't even get a chance to say anything to her.

Well, he at least knew the way now. "Thanks..." he said to no one in particular, then made his way to the courtyard. The princess was waiting for him there... the thought made his heart beat a bit faster with each step. He held his hand over his chest. "Huh... I must be tired..." he reasoned.

It wasn't long before he spotted her. She looked really pretty today, with her hair pulled back delicately like that and wearing that lavender dress. He wondered what she was thinking about, staring towards the bushes, looking like she was lost in another world.

Link was lost in thought for sure, but not enough to not be aware of his surroundings. He glanced over to see Dark standing there, his cheeks looking a bit pink. Link wondered if he was feeling a bit sick today. "Sir Dark, good morning."

"A-ah! Yes, good morning, Princess," Dark snapped back to reality, giving a quick shake of his head. Then he noticed that Link's dress had long sleeves again. "It's going to be another hot day today, your majesty, are you sure that you won't be hot in long sleeves like that?" he asked with concern. He didn't want to have to jump in the fountain again, after all.

Link lifted his arm to inspect the sleeve. "Yes, this is a light fabric. It may not have short sleeves, but it's rather cool, unlike my dress yesterday. Besides, I won't give you the slip today, so this time you can catch me if necessary."

C-catch her? _I can catch her next time? _Crap, the way she said that sounded really cute….

Link folded his arms suddenly, not hearing any objections from Dark. "What's this now, concerned? No blackmail or promise to make me settle a debt if you save me?"

Dark was speechless at her words. That felt like it was hitting a bit below the belt…. Although it was true. "Cat got your tongue? Heh." Link just chuckled. "Well, even if you did, I defended your actions yesterday, and prevented you from getting fired by Pipit. So we are even. If anything, you are actually in debt to me."

Dark finally found his words again, amused. "You have a sharp tongue, princess. And you were so gentle at the party." He gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Ah, well. I guess you got me today." With a playful gesture of his hand, he gave a quick bow. "And what are our plans for the day today?"

"Guess you will have to wait and see, Frosting Boy."

As Dark's face turned red again at the insulting nickname, the two of them began Link's duties for the day. It wasn't long before Dark found himself bored again, but this time, strangely not as bored as yesterday. He watched the princess with more interest than he had had before. Her work may be dull, but she worked hard at it, without showing any signs of exhaustion or boredom. Dark found himself smiling often.

He stopped himself every time he did, though. Why would he be smiling if he was bored? Wait…. Why is he _not_ bored watching her?

Dark spent so long mulling over these thoughts, unaware of how slow he can be to realize his own feelings that he didn't notice that lunchtime had approached. He realized that he had been spaced out, and the princess had been trying to get his attention for the past few minutes.

"Are you listening now? I said let's have lunch, you must be starving," Link said once more.

"Ah, r-right!" Dark agreed with a forced laugh. When Link turned his back to him Dark gave himself a tiny slap. _Get it together, Dark!_

As Dark said chants of focus in his head, Link had his own thoughts going on. He still felt some nerves around this boy, but Link couldn't help but feel like he trusted him more now. _I shouldn't, he blackmailed me! He knows that I sneak out at night once a week to fight! _he tried to reason with himself. He snuck a look back at Dark, seeing him with some sort of stupid expression on his face. Well, he may be a slave to his own desires, but he doesn't _seem _bad.

Still, what was Zelda's father thinking for allowing a foreign guard to be so close to the "princess?"

As the pair sat down for an enjoyable outdoors meal, Dark noticed the adviser walk by with Miss Victoria at his side, the two of them talking. _GAH!_ was the scream that ran through Dark's head. He remembered very well how the adviser nearly attacked him at the party. Despite Miss Victoria being there to most likely control the man, Dark ducked under the table in an attempt to hide.

Link stopped in mid-sip of his drink and bent down to look at Dark with a confused, yet unamused expression. "…. What are you doing?" Despite being a bit embarrassed by his behavior, Dark still pointed towards the advisor, flustered. Link looked that way, then gave a understanding nod.

"That man…. if I could I would hide too," Link told him, taking a sip of his drink. Dark peeked out, seeing Victoria give the advisor a small bow as he left. "After all, he did believe that you were a Sheikah. That's understandable with those red eyes of yours."

Dark gave a tiny sigh. "Yeah, I guess…" he knew that the Sheikah had been missing for nearly ten years now. It was understandable how the advisor acted at the party, but it still had shaken Dark up. He was not used to being treated like some sort of freak at home, just because he looked a little different.

"You aren't a Sheikah, are you?" Link suddenly found himself asking. "Red eyes are unheard of outside the Sheikah race."

"No, I'm not, I promise!" Dark exclaimed. "I used to have a normal eye color, but it changed after an illness a long time ago."

"An… illness?" Link had never heard of an illness that could do that to eye color. He wondered if Zelda knew; she spent a lot of time reading up in the tower. Maybe she came across something about it. Link's curiosity was caught, but he decided to drop it for now. "Well, I think your eyes are a wonder."

Of course, Link meant this as a scientific wonder. But to Dark, who wasn't (thank goodness) inside Link's true thoughts, that sounded like something completely different. Dark found himself staring up at the princess, unaware of how red his face was turning. The princess… found his eyes to be a wonder?

_What's with his face? Why does it make me feel like I should dread something? _Link thought as he noticed Dark's change in expressions. _Just be nice… just be nice… _

Both boys were trying to hide their faces. Link was trying to pleasant, while Dark had finally realized he was blushing and was pretending to cough as an excuse to look away. Miss Victoria was watching them interact, a sly smile on her face. Boys were truly so predictable, it's a shame both of Dark and the princess are idiots, so they probably aren't aware yet.

"So adorable, it makes me want to tease them a bit~" she sighed with fake agony, pressing her hand against her cheek. Then she chuckled as she heard footsteps. "Well well, look who decided to emerge from the cave," she said as she turned to face the approaching Pipit. "Here to check up on the young guard, are we? Worried for your princess?"

"The tower is not a cave," Pipit told her, folding his arms as he glanced over at the boys. "And I don't trust him." Pipit was worried, of course. He has been raising Zelda and Link for several years, he cared for them. If that boy ruined everything those two worked so hard for… Pipit would make it his life's mission to ensure Dark was put away forever. More than anything, Pipit wants to throw him out at this very moment, but Pipit was loyal to the king, even if the king had strange ideas. Doing what he wanted to do would not make the king very happy.

Victoria gave a laugh. "Well, of course! Boys cannot be trusted, after all. Boys will be boys. Won't they, Sir Pipit?" she grinned at him. "I'm sure you remember."

Pipit frowned at her, knowing what she was talking about. "…." He adjusted his sword on his waist and left without another word.

Smiling at her victory of getting Pipit to leave, the woman left as well, despite wanting to watch Dark longer. After all, she needed to start preparing for the negotiations in just two days.

* * *

><p>At the end of the day, Dark said his good-byes to the princess and started home. The princess had been really cute today…. Calling his eyes a wonder and saying Dark can catch her if she faints again….<p>

With his thoughts on Princess Zelda's words today, Dark almost ran into Miss Victoria on his way out of the castle, literally. However, this time she was prepared for it, and side-stepped as Dark rushed by. He quickly realized what he had almost done.

"Whoa, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, glad he didn't run into her for a third time.

Miss Victoria didn't seem upset in the slightest. "You always seem like you are lost in thought, young man," she said with a smile, tapping her cheek with her finger. "I wonder just who you are thinking about."

Dark stared, then quickly tried to defend himself. How did she know? "No one is on my mind! That's ridiculous!"

"Your bright red cheeks suggest otherwise, darling." As Dark stiffened with horror that he was blushing, Miss Victoria looked at a large painting on the wall beside her before reaching out to touch it. "There are many legends about things in this castle. This painting is one of them."

"…. Huh?" Dark looked at the painting, confused by the sudden change of topic. It was huge, painted directly on the wall, colorful and clearly painted by a master. But Dark wondered why Miss Victoria brought it up at all. What did it have to do with anything?

"Legend says that the king years and years ago commissioned for a young, brilliant painter to paint the history of Hyrule for everyone to see all its glory," she continued. "But when the painter began his work, he and the Princess Zelda of that time fell madly in love." She leaned close to Dark, poking his nose. "Do you know what it's like to be in love? Your heart races when you see them. You blush when they complement you. All you can think about is them all the time."

Dark slowly realized what she was saying. His eyes went wide as he thought about all those points. He thought about this morning when he first saw Princess Zelda, and how his heart raced. And when she said his eyes were a wonder, his face had felt hot. And he couldn't push her from his mind….

"Well, of course, you weren't thinking about anyone, right? You said so yourself, so perhaps you are sick instead." She patted his head as he stared at the ground. "Make sure you drink plenty of water! That's the best way to fight off a cold before it sets in."

Dark wasn't listening anymore, nor did he notice that she left him standing there. It was finally clicking in his head. _Love…. I'm in love with…. The Princess of Hyrule…. _But how was that possible? There was no way…. Right? The only person Dark ever cared about was the prince, so there was no way….

"Your eyes are a wonder," Princess Zelda had said. As Dark remembered that moment, his emotions warped his memory a bit, and now he was imagining her saying it with a blush and a shy smile. Dark turned pink again as he stood there with his mouth covered in shock.

_I'm in love with Princess Zelda. _

He continued to repeat this to himself until he got home, where he saw Orland sitting on a chair with a mug in his hand. Dark froze. "Er…. M-master, welcome back…." He smiled painfully, hoping Orland was in a good mood. He didn't want to be beaten for his behavior…

"YOU…!" Orland roared, pointing at Dark.

_I'm screwed!_ Dark freaked mentally, starting to come up with a list of excuses that he could try to distract Orland with.

"…did a good job," Orland finished, taking a sip of his alcohol.

"… Eh?" Dark blinked at those words. What did his master say? "What?"

"I heard from that lovely Miss Victoria, how you saved the princess from fainting. Caught her and everything! I must say, I'm impressed. Honestly didn't think you put effort into being the princess's guard, but you proved me wrong.

"O-oh… that's right!" Dark laughed, mentally thanking Miss Victoria for her lie which probably saved his ass. Then wondered what happened that put his master in such a good mood. Since when did Orland ever praise him?!

"Don't let it go to your head, kid, you still have a lot of work to do." That sounded more like his master. Orland finished his drink and sunk lower in his chair. "Just a few more days, then the negotiations will be over… Won't that be nice? I love Hyrule but sometimes I could use a good home-grown beer."

The negotiations. Dark had almost forgotten about those, he was too busy with the princess and preparing for the party. They were the whole reason that he and Orland were here, after all.

That's right, Dark slowly realized. Once the negotiations are over, there will be no reason for them to be here anymore. They will go home. Dark sat slowly on his bed as he it suddenly occurred to him that his love for Princess Zelda was messed up. She was a princess, he wasn't noble at all and a foreigner. He had blackmailed her too. And once they finished their mission, he will go home, miles and miles away from her.

He covered his face with his hands as he leaned on his knees. _Shit… The gods must hate me… _They must, because they are pulling a nasty prank on him for sure.

For the first time since he came here, he hoped that tomorrow wouldn't come.

* * *

><p>Link stifled a yawn the next morning. It had been a long day yesterday, but Link was just thankful nothing freaky or suspicious had happened. Dark has been on his best behavior yesterday, for some reason. And after lunch, Dark's behavior had changed from good to fantastic. <em>I hope he isn't planning something, <em>Link thought to himself, not aware that it was his unintended compliment that had caused the change.

Zelda was happy to hear that nothing happened. She had been so worried about Link being in the position that he was in. She has been looking a bit tired lately, Link wondered if she was losing sleep over concern for him.

Dark was also trying to keep back a yawn. He couldn't sleep at all last night, his thoughts all on Princess Zelda and his new found feelings. He glanced at her from time to time, but was unable to stare at her for longer than a second before he felt a bit of sadness set in. It just wasn't fair…. Wasn't there a way to prolong their visit? Maybe Dark could screw up the negotiations… ah, but that would be awful for his prince….Plus, Orland would kill him…

Not paying attention, Link bumped his injured elbow into Dark. "Ah!" he gasped quietly in pain, his hand instantly going up to guard his wound.

Dark was instantly on alert. "Are you ok?" he asked hastily. He remembered how nasty the bruise had looked; it had to be pretty painful. He quickly realized he sounded out of character, and tried to recover. "I mean… What is it? Hurt that bruise I gave you? Haha!"

Link rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm…." then Link's hand shot to his throat as he felt his voice crack. What? What was…. That strange feeling from before… He felt panic start to set in. What was happening? Was he sick? Then, why wasn't he getting any other symptoms? Why was it just his voice?

"… Huh?" Dark had heard the cracking of Link's voice. He stopped walking, shocked at what he just heard. Princess Zelda's voice had certainly cracked... Female voices don't do that... right? He blinked slowly as Link slowly turned to stare at him with large eyes. "…. Princess, your voice…. Did it… Are you…."

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><p><strong>Wow, I made it to Chapter 10! Well, it wasn't a very good chapter, unfortunately, but it had to be written. But still, I rarely ever make it this far! For fun, I'm adding an extra after this message. Feel free to read it though it has nothing to do with the main plot.<strong>

**Once more, thank you to everyone for reading, reviewing, favoriting, or following!**

**I simply want to note: There are some strange things in this story. Behaviors or reasoning that may not make sense now. I promise, if you stick with it, things will make sense. That includes Dark jumping into a freaking fountain.**

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><p><strong>Extra: <strong>The Painted Wall

_Years and years ago…._

It is well known that you often aren't aware of what you truly wanted until you discover the thing that you were missing. And that's why until she met that painter, she was perfectly happy with her arranged marriage with the Duke of Lanaryu.

After all, the duke was a kind man. He had only shown Zelda love and respect for her the moment he came to the castle. He was popular with the people, and was politically well educated. Of course, they were not to be wed for quite some time, but Zelda felt that a good match had been made.

But when she happened upon the artist one day as he was strolling down the hallway, her thoughts began to slowly change. She only found him interesting at first; little did she know that would change.

"Who are you?" she asked him suddenly. She knew everyone in the castle. She did not know this young man.

The young man, with a smile, gave a beautiful bow. "You must be the Princess Zelda. It is an honor, princess. My name is Link, your majesty."

"Link? That is an unusual name…." It sounded familiar though.

Link threw his head back and laughed. "Yes, it is! But I was named after an ancestor of mine, so I bear the name proudly."

He looked like he meant it. Zelda had never seen someone who had such an honest look before. "Well, Link, what are you doing here?"

"Your father asked me here. He needed my expertise."

Zelda had not heard anything about her father needing the expertise of anyone. "And what is it you do?"

He gave a sly smile. "I'm a prophet, of course."

It wouldn't be until the next day when Zelda saw the young man sketching on the large, blank wall. "You are not a prophet!" she exclaimed, folding her arms. "You are the painter Father has been talking about!"

Link looked up from his work, smiling gently. "I am a prophet. Didn't you know, princess? All artists are whatever they want to be."

Zelda had never heard anything like that before "…. I don't follow," Zelda said slowly, her arms still folded.

He chuckled slightly, his eyes bright with joy. "Some artists are historians. Others are storytellers. Some bring pain, while others bring happiness." He touched the wall he had been preparing his art for. "Your father asked me to play historian for this work; he asked me to paint the great history of Hyrule. But in reality, I use my art to show the future."

As Zelda stood there slightly dumbfounded, Link gave another laugh. "You simply wait, your majesty. I will paint a beautiful future."

At this time, Zelda was still unaware what she truly wanted. But that would begin to change.

**To be continued-**


	11. Old Habits Die Hard

**I must say, this chapter was a treat to write. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 11: Old Habits Die Hard, but Pride Dies Harder  
><span>

"Are you sick?" Dark asked Link, with the both of them unaware how completely off base he was.

Link stared down at his feet, testing his voice quietly. Crap, it still didn't feel right... He must be sick. "... Excuse me!" he finally said. "I need to go..."

"Wait, hold on!" Dark blocked Link's path before he could take off running. "If you are sick, we should take you to a doctor!" Dark already had someone he cared about sick, he didn't want another one ill.

The princess looked frantic. Link didn't know why he felt frantic, but for some reason his gut was telling him this was bad. "I'm fine, but you need to go!" Link demanded, pointing towards the way out.

"What? But..."

"GO!" Link pushed past Dark. "Before I call the guards!" He vanished around the corner, leaving Dark behind.

* * *

><p>Dark had never felt such confusion in his life as he turned down a street on his way home, having been ejected out of the castle. He ran a hand throw his hair and gave a deep sigh. "Damn it all... What was that all about?" Dark had no idea why Princess Zelda suddenly kicked him out. So she was becoming sick, why did that entitle her to force him out? And Dark himself had gotten all worked up as well... Perhaps it was because he was worried that she would become as sick as the prince...<p>

She's so beautiful and skilled with the sword, but why was she such a mystery? Dark's intense need to satisify his curiosity and, his crush on her that made him want to avoid making her even more pissed off at him, clashed fiercely. _Why do I like her? The princess of Hyrule... it won't go anywhere, it can't. She's a princess, and I'm leaving after the negotiations the following day..._

"I don't understand!" he growled loudly.

"Don't understand what?" a familiar voice asked behind him. He froze for a moment, having not sensed that someone had approached him so closely, before whipping around to see the hostess from the inn he stayed at. Startled by his reaction, she nearly dropped one of the huge bags of groceries that she carried.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop!" she exclaimed. "I simply saw you walking, and I was a bit confused, since I thought you worked at the castle... I was making sure you didn't get lost or something..."

"Ah, no, it's fine..." embarrassed that she overheard him talking to himself, Dark sighed again. "I'm not lost, just... got a break for the rest of the day!" He didn't want her to know that he got kicked out. He glanced over the red haired hostess, wondering what her name was again. She had introduced herself to him when they first arrived in Hyrule, but they didn't interact often, and her name had slipped his mind.

"How lucky for you," she said with a smile. Dark smiled back, wondering why he couldn't spend more time with normal people like this? All the people he knew so far were... strange.

He noticed the huge bags in her arms. "You are going back to the inn, right? Why don't I help you with those?" he offered. If his master saw him walking with the hostess without helping her... Besides, it was only the nice thing to do. Besides, it would help him get his mind of off things.

"Oh, thank you!" she beamed as she handed over one of the bags. Dark nearly fell forward at the sheer weight of it. _Holy crap, how heavy is this thing?!_ Man, this woman wasn't normal either.

Still, Dark managed to keep his balance, and followed the woman back to the inn. After a silent walk for nearly 10 minutes, Dark finally couldn't take it anymore. Racking his brain for a topic, he randomly picked one. "So... Were you able to get water today?"

"Oh!" She had not expected Dark to talk to her, so she was taken by surprise. "Why yes, thank goodness."

Dark was glad. He knew Princess Zelda was working hard on trying to get her people water, but while the royal family enjoyed fresh water, even enough to keep a fountain running, the people were starting to see their water supply get smaller and smaller each day. Dark didn't really think about it much until the incident with his breakfast. It hadn't affected him much since he was here, considering he spend most of his time at the castle.

He would remain unaware for a long time of Orland's wisdom of staying at a public inn, to experience the life of the people firsthand. At least, if anything, Dark was getting used to all the stares as people notices the color of his eyes (he often forgot to wear something to cover his eyes.)

They hadn't even made it half-way back before Dark was panting with exhaustion. He couldn't tell if he was out of shape or if the hostess was just extremely used to this. Regardless, he was so tired that he forgot the water shortage, looking around wondering if he could take a quick break. Even if it hurt his pride in front of this woman, he didn't care. His arms felt like they were going to break.

He stopped suddenly, noticing a rather strange shop. The outside of the small store was decorated with thick, ornate carpets, and wind chimes were hung carefully with many tiny crystals. A strong incense smell came from within.

The woman stopped when she noticed that he did. She looked up at the shop. "Ah, this is Madame Fanadi's place. Do you like fortune telling, Sir Dark?" she asked.

So that's what this place is. He gave a hearty laugh. "Not really, such things are just ridiculous." Dark didn't really believe in magic, after all. Magic is something of legends, nothing more. Master Orland had often talked about the powerful days of magic of the past as bedtime stories for Dark and the prince when they were young. That's the only place magic existed, in stories.

"Really?" she chuckled a bit. "I suppose it's a bit true. I guess boys aren't into that sort of thing. Though I hear that Madame Fanadi is super accurate. I've actually been a few times, but so far the predictions for me haven't come true yet." Her ears turned pink as she continued. "She predicts all sorts of things, such as love..."

All Dark heard as 'love.' "What?!" he asked. _She can predict my future for love?! _Realizing his sudden outburst made it seem like he was interested, he quickly tried to cover it up. "I mean, well, so love huh?" Still, Dark may feel like he may not have a chance, but maybe this woman can figure out otherwise...

He mentally smacked himself. _There's no such thing as magic, Dark, she can't predict your future._

The hostess thought Dark's reaction was rather cute. Sir Dark didn't seem very honest with himself, but his reactions were very much so. "Sir Dark, are you curious about your chances for love?"

She watched as Dark viciously shook his head. "No, not really..." He gave a shallow sigh as he shrugged, hoping he didn't seem to obvious. "Just, well... Maybe I can stop in to check it out, you know? My master says I should experience as much of Hyrule's culture as possible." Even if she couldn't use magic... it still sounded interesting.

The hostess grabbed his arm with a large smile. "Then let's go! Don't be shy!"

Partially being dragged by the young woman and partially going in willingly, Dark followed and the two of them entered the strange shop. Dark's intense curiosity overcame his doubts about magic. The incense was almost overbearingly strong inside, and Dark had to blink a few times as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He squinted to see a figure through the smoke.

"Welcome," a deep woman's voice came from the direction of the figure. "If it isn't Marin, and an adorable young man. And what fortune do you want me to read today, Miss Marin?"

So, the hostess's name is Marin. _Oh yeah, _Dark now remembered. _That's right, I remember now..._

Finally, Dark was able to see the woman. She was a large woman with a bizarre, tall hairdo and dripping in jewelry. She was leaning on her back of her hands, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Sir Dark is your costumer today, Madame Fanadi," Marin said, giving Dark a small push closer to Fanadi. Dark stumbled forward a bit as the large woman looked him up and down.

"... I see. Give me your hand, young man," she suddenly demanded. Dark glanced over at Marin who gave a reassuring nod. Still a bit unsure, he put the bag he had been carrying down on the ground and he slowly started to move his hand closer. Rolling her eyes, Fanadi reached over and snatched it up.

"So shy, don't be afraid, boy." She looked at his hand closely before letting go. "...Big and strong."

He inspected his hand before asking, "What can you tell from my hand?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing. I rarely get boys in here so..."

"So you just felt up my hand?!" Dark felt suddenly violated. Marin giggled, having known Madame Fanadi didn't read palms.

"Now, what is it you want to know?" the woman asked, looking pleased with herself.

Against his better judgement, Dark gave a sigh and caved. He might as well, he stupidly came in here, after all. "I'm curious about my chances with this girl." He gave a shrug. "Got anything for me?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. You have no chance."

Dark froze as Marin tried to control her laughter. "What?! You didn't even like... look at your crystal ball or anything."

"I don't need to. No woman would want a man like you with the behavior you are displaying right now." She grinned at him. "And you came to see me, a fortune teller, which tells me you are insecure."

"Who's insecure?!" he snapped back, when Fanadi looked into the crystal ball suddenly. Marin stopped laughing, and grabbed Dark's arm to calm him down. He looked at her as she pointed at the fortune teller, indicating that something important was happening.

"... I see..." The room began to darken. Dark glanced around, wondering how she was performing this trick. Suddenly, she looked up at him. For a moment, Dark thought her eyes looked red before the smoke made it impossible to tell.

"A shadow is following you." Fanadi waved a hand over the crystal. "It will eventually consume you and your mind. And I see... a beautiful woman, or whom you believe is beautiful. She has a secret... a secret that will intertwine your fates together."

She fell silent for a moment, as Dark stood there dumbly, unsure of what to say. The stuff she said was really... strange. A shadow? Being consumed? And what woman? Did she mean... Zelda? If that's the case, he already knew her secret.

_Why am I taking this so seriously? _he laughed at himself.

After some silence, Fanadi looked up. "That will be 20 rupees."

"What the..." Dark's mouth dropped open. "That's not the information I asked for!" Dark fumed. "I'm not paying 20 rupees for that!"

"Then I'll call the soldiers over. My services aren't free," the large woman retorted, leaning back in her chair. As Dark made strangling motions with his fingers, Marin jumped in, handing over the change.

Dark stopped his hands and his angry expression changed to one of confusion. "W-What are you doing?"

"It was my suggestion that you come here," she said with a smile. "I'll take care of the money, don't worry."

Dark grabbed the bag off the ground and stormed out with Marin on his heels. Outside, he fished a 20 rupee out of his pocket and handed it over. "I can't let you pay for me, but thanks anyways." If master knew that he just spent 20 rupees on something so frivolous... Dark felt a shiver run down his spine.

Marin accepted the money. "I'm sorry you didn't hear what you wanted to hear." She looked hesitant for a moment, before speaking her mind. "Does what Madame Fanadi had to say worry you? About that whole... shadow?"

"Of course now!" he puffed his chest out a bit. "That was all just a parlor trick. Magic is just a part of bedtime stories." He paused for a moment, reflecting on Marin's apology. "It's ok... She's right, though." He had a defeated look on his face. "It won't work out... I leave in a few days, and I probably won't be back for a long time." Then there was the matter of status, and the fate that she still probably held some resentment for what he did.

Seeing his face fall like that made Marin want to help. "I know Madame Fanadi didn't help much for your love. But if I were you, if you are really going to be leaving so soon, I would spend as much time with the person you love as much as possible."

This caught him off guard. "As much time as possible?"

She nodded. "Yes. If I was in love with someone, but wasn't going to see them for a long time, I would want to spend every waking minute I can with them." She gave a tiny giggle. "That way, I leave with all sorts of wonderful memories I can cherish forever. And also know that I have nothing to regret."

Spend as much time with Princess Zelda as possible, huh? He looked up at the sky in thought. That made sense. He had spent a lot of time with the prince before he had left his home country, because he knew wasn't going to be able to see him for a while.

Dark smiled at Marin. "Well, thank you for the advice." Then he burned red. "But I'm not in love! There is just someone who is interesting, that's all!" Hoping to still deny it publicly.

As Marin tried to hide her snicker, Dark wondered how in the world he could spend more time with Princess Zelda if she keeps kicking him out of the castle.

* * *

><p>With Pipit humming so happily first thing the next morning, Link and Zelda were leaning close to each other, whispering behind his back.<p>

"Did something good happen yesterday? I thought you said that you were feeling unwell so you came back to the room to early. Why would Pipit look so happy?" Zelda asked in a whisper, suspicious.

Link was equally as confused as he whispered back, "Don't know, honestly. It's kind of making me worried."

As the two gave a nod of agreement that Pipit's behavior was strange, Pipit continued to hum as he finished fluffing Link's pillows. _Link kicked out that boy all on his own yesterday. Thank god they aren't becoming close. _He inspected his work and gave a satisfied nod. _Today is going to be a good day!_

Zelda leaned back against a wall, smiling. "Well, I'm glad you aren't sick. I don't want to pretend to have a cold. After all," Her face lit up as she continued, "tomorrow is the day I get to go out!" She sighed with joy at the thought of being out around the castle grounds, since tomorrow Sir Orland and Sir Dark were going to negotiate terms of protection on the behalf of the Prince of Labrynna. She was also glad that Dark would be leaving the day after tomorrow, meaning Link's secret will no longer be in danger.

Link smiled at her, but felt a bit guilty about the increasing number of secrets he was keeping from her. The fact that he secretly went to underground duels was one he had for a while, but now that Dark learned this secret and blackmailed him, along with this strange problem in his throat were added to the list. He and Zelda have always been a team, but he couldn't let her know these secrets. For his own protection, and for her own mental well-being. If she knew he got to leave at least once a week while she was stuck here...

He felt even heavier with guilt at these thoughts as Zelda looked out the window. She could see Dark and Orland entering the grounds. "Here comes your guard. Father said that he was going to train today with some of the knights." She gave him a thumbs up. "Today is the last day you have to spend with him, so do your best!"

As Link gave a short wave good-bye as he started down the stairs, he thought about those words. _Last day... huh? _Link wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that. Sure, Dark had given him trouble, but for the first time, Link just realized, he felt like he had an ally. Zelda was an ally, of course, and so was Pipit, but Dark was on a different level. He wasn't family, or even a friend from childhood. He knew of Link's dueling, and he clearly went out of his way to keep it a secret. When he leaves, Link will lose him as an ally.

_I guess there is nothing I can do about it, _Link told himself as he approached Dark. Orland had arrived with his apprentice, but now was off somewhere, discussing private matters with the king. Seeing Link, Dark gave a huge, cocky grin as he placed a hand on his hip. "Good morning, your majesty."

_Why do I feel like he's planning something? Isn't he mad about yesterday? _Link gave a nod. "Morning, Sir Dark." After a moment's pause, Link bowed slightly. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I just wasn't feeling well, but it was no excuse to throw you out."

Dark was surprised by the princess's apology. _Keep calm, Dark, don't say anything stupid. _"It's fine!" he managed to spit out. He was just glad she didn't seem ill today. "Let's not think about it too much, today is our last day together after all." He didn't look happy about that, though. "Such a shame, and I was hoping to be able to duel you again..." Dark sighed sadly. Orland had told him that he was going to be doing some training with a few of the knights today. Dark didn't want to fight a bunch of knights. He wanted to fight the princess again.

"You're not coming to the fight tomorrow?" Link accidentally slipped out. He quickly realized his mistake. _Shit._

Dark literally stopped talking for a moment, before finally managing to ask, "What do you mean? Tomorrow?"

Link debated for a moment if he should lie or not. He could just say something that could throw Dark of the track, but... He looked at Dark's expression. Why did he look kind of... hopeful?

_Why do I have to be so honest? _Link sighed. Unable to be _completely _cruel, Link gave in. "Well, I suppose since you hit your head pretty hard considering I _completely kicked your ass _at the arena, you wouldn't remember. They had to reschedule the event, so its going to be early. In other words, tomorrow."

Dark felt like a weight hit his head. _P-princess... there was no need to emphasize... or use the word ass... _

But wait... the if the fight was tomorrow... Dark would still be in town. Marin had said that he should spend as much time with the person he loved as much as possible.

He grinned suddenly, and at that moment Link knew he had made a mistake. "Alright, then I'll see you at the ar-"

"You are not coming," Link interrupted without hesitation.

"And why not? I want to fight you again, Princess, and this time I will defeat you!" He paused. "Wait a second... what about your elbow? Can you even swing properly with your bruise?"

"You talk too loud!" Link snapped, checking to see if there was anyone around. Seeing it was clear, he pointed to his right arm. "I _can _use my right arm. It's not as good as my left, but it's enough to take out anyone who fights at the arena normally."

"Regardless, I'm still coming, your highness." Dark was unable to control himself anymore. He _had _to fight the princess again. She was one of the best opponents he has ever faced. Or at least the most interesting.

Link realized that he couldn't change Dark's mind. _I have to get him to not come... The less I expose him to possibly discovering my gender, the better. _Then he got an idea. "How about a bet?"

"A bet?"

"That's right," Link smiled pleasantly. "You are going to be practicing with the knights today, right? I'm sure Ashei is going to be there. I believe you met her, right? If you can beat Ashei in a duel, I'll let you come without any complaints. But, if you lose," there was a glint in his eye, "then you can't come to the arena."

It was too tempting to resist. "Deal." He chuckled deeply. _This will be a piece of cake. There is no way I will lose. I can't, after all, if I want to spend as much time with Zelda as possible. Get ready to lose your bet, princess._

_Thank the gods Frosting Boy is clueless! _were Link's thoughts.

* * *

><p>"I think this is your first time here, right? This is the knights' quarters," Link introduced as he and Dark entered a huge, stone-covered was busy with activity as many people Dark hadn't met yet were preparing for training. Huge straw men were being secured to the ground in one corner, while another group of people were polishing weapons and armor elsewhere. Dark noticed a few female knights in the mix, but for the most part there were more men. This atmosphere was familiar to Dark, since he often trained at home with their country's small army as well.<p>

Link couldn't tell him everything about this area for security reasons, but he gave him the basic rundown. "This is the main area, where the knights spar. That room over there to your left is where the training equipment is kept, and back there is the barracks for the knights, though a lot of our knights with families actually live in town. Most of the younger knights stay here. The soldiers spar here as well, but their barracks are elsewhere."

"So many knights..." Dark said with awe. He wondered if Miss Victoria was here. He hadn't seen her around yesterday or yet today. He had gotten use to seeing her. Well, she was probably busy, she did work directly under the advisor after all.

Link blinked at this for a moment. "Not all of these people are knights. Most of our knights are not here at the moment. Most of them are off on missions for the king."

"Looks like they are almost ready," Dark said. Link nodded with agreement as Ashei noticed them, and came over with a young man trailing behind her.

The female knight gave a bow to Link. "Your majesty, good morning. And Sir Dark. Your master expressed his wishes that you train with us today, yeah? Though, I believe he said you were past basic training."

Dark nodded, feeling a bit cocky in front of the princess. "That's right!"

"Waahh, really?" the young man behind Ashei exclaimed. "That's amazing. We are about the same age, but you are already so far ahead of me!"

Seeing Dark's surprised expression, the the young man quickly waved his hands in frantic embarrassment. "S-sorry, forgive my outburst!" He turned bright red as he rubbed the back of his head. "I should introduce myself. My name is Fledge and I'm currently training to be a knight."

"Oh, really? So, are you going to train with me today?" Dark asked, hoping that he didn't have to. Fledge looked kind of... weak. He glanced at Ashei, wondering if he was going to be able to fight her at all. He needed to to win the bet.

"You will not be sparring with Fledge today. He's far behind the rest of the trainees. Some of them have even been knighted already, but he's still stuck on the basics," Ashei said, brutally honest.

_She has no tact! _Dark thought, flabbergasted. Fledge didn't look upset in the slightest. He just laughed. "It's true! That's why Miss Ashei is personally training me now!" The awkward looking Fledge suddenly blushed a bit. "I hope one day, I'll be strong and handsome like you are, Sir Dark!"

_...Is he gay? _Dark thought as he looked the strange boy up and down. Who says stuff like that, what a weirdo? It would take some time before Dark realized how hypocritical he had been. And how wrong.

Ashei pointed towards the crowd. "Today, you will be sparring with Groose."

Groose... oh, right, that jerk of a knight who threatened Dark... He didn't seem like much of a threat. _This won't do... _Dark thought.

"I'm not interested in fighting that muscle-head-" Dark began, when Groose's annoying voice shot over the courtyard.

"That's right!" Groose snorted with anger, stomping over with his two companions. Seeing them approach, Fledge stepped behind Ashei a bit, nervous by their appearance. "What is the meaning of this, Ashei? Why do I have to train with this pipsqueak? I need someone that will _properly _warm me up!"

_Pipsqueak... _Dark's shoulders shook as his eye twitched. "Oi..."

"... Sir Groose," Ashei responded with a complete lack of expression or tone. "Are you saying you will go against the commands of the higher ups?"

All three knights flinched and took a step back. Ashei was frightening to them. _Heh, cowards, _Dark thought evilly.

"Er... Well..." Then Groose noticed the princess. "Oh, Princess Zelda!" he beamed with joy. "Are you here to see me kick your guard's butt? Don't worry, your majesty, I'll prove to you that I'm far better suited to be at your side!"

_No way, over my dead body! _Dark thought, feeling ready to snap. This guy got on his nerves completely. He didn't want another man close to Zelda like that. He went to draw his sword, but stopped himself. _No, I must fight Ashei. Don't lose focus now. _Before Link could respond to Groose, Dark spoke. "Ashei, I would like to duel you instead!"

Silence fell over the group at Dark's words. Link smiled a bit, while Groose and his companions looked dumbfounded. Fledge covered his mouth as Ashei just looked blankly at Dark. "...No."

The three idiots instantly turned to whisper to each other. "I guess Sir Dark_ wants_ to have be beaten..." Cawlin whispered to Groose. Groose nodded with agreement, then burst into laughter.

"That's something I would like to see!" he roared with amusement.

Dark was shocked by her response. "... Why not? I'm here to train, so why can't I fight you?"

The woman gave a shrug. "I was told to pick someone of your skill level for you to duel with, and that would be Sir Groose. These were my orders."

"There is no way I am on the same level with that child!" Groose raged, pointing at Dark.

"I agree," Dark said, feeling cheeky. "He's far below my skill." He said this as he looked as Groose with a huge grin.

As Groose made I'm-Going-To-Murder-You gestures towards Dark, Link spoke up. "Ashei, it's ok, I give permission. I would like you to practice with Sir Dark, if you don't mind. In a full duel."

"...Is that so?" she said after a short pause. Ashei gave a bow. "If your majesty says it's ok, then I do not mind sparring with the boy." She looked over at Fledge. "I want you to watch closely. You understand, yeah? As for Sir Dark, please follow me."

Fledge nodded vigorously as Dark stuck his tongue out at Groose and chased after Ashei. Groose's face turned red with pure anger, but said nothing more. _I must conduct myself properly in front of the princess. She will be sad if I'm too harsh to the lad, I'm sure of it, _Groose falsely reasoned. He suddenly burst into a strange fit of giggles. _Oh princess, don't you worry. I'm an understanding man. I'm work hard to be fit to be your husband! _

Link and Groose's two companions moved away from him slowly (not comfortable with his behavior, especially Link), then went to join the gathering crowd around the fighting ring. Already, the knights were whispering, many of them expressing shock that Ashei was going to actually be training this newcomer. The knights had heard that a foreigner was going to be training with them today, and that the princess was going to be observing, but this was a surprise. Other knights were starting to collect bets shamelessly.

Dark stood in the ring, sword drawn, glad that this was happening quickly. He glanced over at Link, then shot her a cocky smile. _Wait and see, princess, when I win your bet. Then, I'll spend time with you for sure! _Ashei climbed into the ring as well, her sword not at her waist or in her hands. She stood across from him, hand at her hip as she flipped her hair back a bit. "Whenever you are ready, you may begin."

Frowning at the lack of a weapon, Dark looked around. "Where is your sword?"

"I don't need it."

"What?!" Dark exclaimed. What was this lady talking about? Was she... looking down on him? Did she think she was so good that she didn't need a sword to defeat him? His hand gripped his sword tighter with irritation. "Are you sure about that?" he asked. She was going to quickly learn her mistake.

She didn't say anything; she only gave him a cold stare, waiting for him to start. A few of the knights laughed, causing Dark to feel embarrassed. Ashei's actions were making him look like a fool! Dark did _not _like looking like a fool when it came to swordplay.

Link noticed his anger. _Well, let's see what you do, Frosting Boy. _Hopefully he will win... Link jolted at this thought. What the... why did Link suddenly wish for that? He went through making that bet and all just to get Dark to _not _come to the underground fight. So, why did he suddenly want Dark to actually come? _Urg, this is complicated... _Link internally sighed.

Seeing Ashei was serious, Dark just laughed. _Her loss. _With that thought, he suddenly dashed forward, making a fast slash at her arm. This fight will end quickly, were his thoughts.

And he was completely right. His sword made contact, and he found that it had completely stopped in its tracks. Dark's eyes went wide as he saw that Ashei had caught the sword with her armored hand.

She suddenly twisted the sword with insane strength and it was wrenched out of Dark's hands. Still holding the blade, she suddenly jabbed the hilt right into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. He fell on his knees, gasping for air, and felt cold steel touch his exposed neck. "I win," Ashei said quietly.

The knights cheered. "That's our Ashei! What a monster! The poor kid had no chance!" they laughed, as Dark looked up at Ashei. He wasn't angry, but he simply couldn't believe it on how fast she defeated him. He realized couldn't tell if she was more skilled than Princess Zelda or not... It had ended so quickly that he never got a read on her.

He had to asked. "... How?" he asked, getting his breath back.

Ashei helped him back up, and handed back his sword. "My hand is fully armored. At the right angle, I can catch a blade with little injury."

No way. "That's... not fair..." Dark said with a pant, as Link climbed into the ring and joined them.

Dark couldn't look at Link. _Crap, she knew I was going to lose... does she hate me that much? _Dark wondered. Shit... that thought hurt more than his stomach. He was shocked that he lost... he was really good with the sword, but he had never encountered someone who did what Ashei did.

And for the princess to set up such a bet like that... was that really her personality? Had Dark made a mistake?

"A fight is never fair," Ashei told him. "Someone is always stronger, or faster, or better equipped. But, how you overcome that is where true skill come in." She folded her arms as she continued. "In a real battle, fair doesn't exist. Someone will cheat, or take advantage of any weakness you have. So, I don't want to hear 'it's not fair' again." She looked at her hand. "Of course, that trick only works once. Next time, I will have to use my sword."

She turned to leave the ring, with Dark standing there with a defeated look on his face. She glanced back. "And a real man doesn't attack an opponent who is not armed... no matter the reason." And with that, she left the ring, with the knights patting her back at her victory.

_Damn it... _Dark looked at the princess, completely embarrassed. He lost the bet.

Link felt completely guilty suddenly. What he did was underhanded... especially for him. He looked down, unsure what to say to Dark. When he found the words, he sighed. "Er..."

"I'm still going..." Dark said softly.

"... Pardon?"

Dark suddenly turned to face Link. "I know I lost, but I'm still going to the fight! I don't care that I lost, I _will_ go so I can..." he stopped. He was about to say so he could spend for time with her. He coughed as he changed his words, "... You know, fight you again."

_He's going back against the bet?! _Link blinked in surprise, then gave a nod. "... Alright." He smiled. "I'm sorry for the bet, it was wrong of me."

"And you better... What?" Dark had not expect that response. She said she was sorry, and he princess looked... relieved? She... didn't hate him?

Dark smiled back. So he didn't make a mistake... The princess was probably just still trying to learn to trust him. His heart skipped a beat. She was so beautiful, and she was actually kind, wasn't she? _She.. I... I truly do love her..._

Before they could further talk, Groose and Fledge joined them. Groose was grinning like a fool at Dark's instant defeat while Fledge spoke. "Don't worry, Sir Dark!" he said, taking Dark's hand. "Ashei's just really good! You can do it next time, I'm sure!"

Taken aback by Fledge extreme kindness, he was at a loss of words for a moment. Then he smiled a bit. "... You are right, I'll get her next time!" He felt a bit perked up. That's right, next time he will get her! There was no way he was going to let another skilled opponent off so easily! But he was going to still get more time to spend with Zelda... He blushed a bit at this thought. For the first time, he didn't dwell too much on the fight as he would have in the past.

_I'll be going to that fight! _

Groose looked between the two, rubbing his chin as he did. "Ah... I see. So that's how it is."

Fledge smiled at Groose. "What is?"

_Something stupid, I'm sure, _Link thought.

And he was right. "Normally, such a thing would be against my beliefs, but as the future king of Hyrule, I must learn to be accepting of all." _Who's going to be the future king?! _Link thought with disgust as Groose stopped rubbing his chin and gave Dark a rough push towards Fledge, before giving him a thumbs up.

"Go. Become a man."

Thank goodness for Fledge, it went completely over his head. But not for Dark. Dark dropped his sword in complete, utter devastation and horror at Groose's great misunderstanding.

"W-wait... how in the world..." How did Groose even come up with a thing?!

Groose gave him a thumbs up. "And here I thought you were going to steal the princess. But this, I can support. Good luck!" he said with enthusiasm, glad he no longer had a love rival as he skipped off to do some training elsewhere.

That idiot... what was he saying, right in front of the princess! Dark turned to say something to Zelda, but she was making realizations of her own before he could say anything.

"Oh..." Link realized what Groose meant. Now that he mentioned it, Dark did blush went Fledge took his hands. "How sweet."

_NOOOOOOOO! _Dark screamed mentally!" _How did it come to this, people thinking I'm gay, when I love Princess Zelda?! _

It would be, once again, a while before Dark realized how ironic this was.

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><p>"I don't think I understand... "Fledge said to Ashei a while later.<p>

"Don't worry. My greatest lesson to you is that you sometimes must let idiots be idiots," Ashei replied.

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><p><strong>Holy cow, guys... those reviews for the last chapter, I don't know what to say. People wanting updates, calling my work 'art'... it makes an author feel good about what they do. *cries with joy towards the sunset.* I was going to stop saying so much in these end messages, but after such wonderful comments for last chapter I simply can't yet! *bows* Thank you so, so very much, everyone, for the fantastic reviews! I hope you continue to enjoy reading my story! And thank you to everyone who favorited and followed!<br>**

**Haha, got this chapter done in a week instead of two! This was a long chapter so no extra today. Sorry if some sections felt a bit rushed, there was a LOT that had to get accomplished for this chapter. Always striving to improve my chapters.  
><strong>

**Next Chapter: Link's True Secret: You Are Not Princess Zelda  
><strong>


	12. The Cold Shoulder and The Missing Bruise

**Sorry for the delayed chapter. I'm not dead! Thanks to everyone who waited patiently!**

**But I do have some bad news. I had to delay the chapter you all were expecting. I tried and tried to write it, but it simply was just… out of place. I'm sorry about this. *bows***

**And sorry for the short, rather quick-paced chapter. **

**Regardless, please enjoy! **

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><p><strong>Beautiful Blades<strong>

Chapter 12: The Cold Shoulder and the Missing Bruise

The sun had yet to rise by the time Princess Zelda sat in the dining hall, eating a breakfast of fruits and fresh bread. Today was _her_ day; the day of which she got to be free of the tower and wander the castle grounds. Link would sleep until long after the sun rose, but Zelda liked to start her days early.

"Your majesty, are you feeling ok?" Pipit asked her as he served her a fresh glass of milk. "You seem to have bags under your eyes."

"I'm fine," she said with a smile. It was true she didn't get much sleep last night. She had gone to bed late, and when her head had hit the pillow, she still had laid there with thoughts racing through her head.

Those thoughts still circled her mind as she took a sip of the cool milk. Today was the day she was going to meet this Sir Dark officially for the first time. True, they had a brief encounter at the negotiations, but this time it was different. Link has been acting odd for the past few days. Ever since Link had fainted, he has been defending Dark every time Zelda brought him up in conversation. Link also started to get up on his own early, without Pipit's 'persuasion' as one could call it, and he seemed to be smiling a bit more recently. No matter what it may be, it was certainly suspicious behavior.

And Zelda didn't like it. Dark did something, she was sure of it. Ever since that boy came to the castle, the balance Link and Zelda had lived in had been shifted violently. Pipit seemed agitated all the time, and he often told her that Dark seems to be the talk of the castle. The servants have been talking about Dark, especially the women. The soldiers and knights have also been talking about this boy, but it seems like they aren't as fond of him as the servants are.

She wasn't quite sure what was going on yet, but Dark cannot get close to Link, for Link's own protection. Zelda has worked too hard and for too long protecting Link and keeping him happy to allow this foreigner to put Link's life in danger.

Pipit noticed her stern and lost-in-thought expression. He touched her shoulder gently. "If you are worried about that Sir Dark, don't be. He's a fool, that one, I'm sure you will be fine today."

Zelda tapped the cover of the book she had brought with her as she gave herself a tiny, deciding nod. If those two get too close, then Link's secret will be discovered. Even if Dark is supposed to be leaving tomorrow, Zelda had to make sure he left believing that the Princess Zelda was not close with him at all.

And she would make sure of that.

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><p>Yesterday had been a complete disaster for Dark, and his face was still burned with embarrassment as he thought about it on his way to the castle. After Groose's magnificent mistake, Dark spent a good few hours trying to clearing up the misunderstanding, especially with Princess Zelda.<p>

"I don't care, Sir Dark, really," the princess had told him, giving him an understanding smile. "Fledge has quite a cute personality."

But in the end, Dark managed to seemingly convince her that he was not interested in Fledge at all, and somehow without revealing that he was actually in love with her. _I have no interest in men, _Dark told himself. _I love Princess Zelda. _Even though he cleared up the problem, he still felt slightly embarrassed that he would have to face her again today.

And curious. Before he had left for home, the princess had asked him not to talk about his injury at all the next day. "Don't even mention it, ok? After all, there are going to be a lot more eyes on me tomorrow, and I don't want to get caught. And don't talk about dueling… in fact, it would be best if you talked as little as possible to me tomorrow, ok?"

It had seemed like an odd request. Dark wondered what was going on with her. He wasn't even supposed to be guarding her today. Would they even get the chance to talk?

Orland smacked him across the head. "Stop staring out the window, and start focusing. Today is not the day to be your normally dramatic self, got it boy?"

Dark rubbed the back of his head, frowning. "Yes sir..." he grumbled a bit, but he was still too distracted to actually dwell on his master's command. Not that he ever really listened to it anyways. But today was his last day with the princess. Even if it was going to be a bit embarrassing, he had to make it count.

Seeing the distant look on Dark's face, Orland gave a hefty sigh and rolled his eyes. Would he ever understand this lad? He grabbed Dark's ear, earning a sharp, angry cry from the boy. "Listen up, lad. Today is important. We need the meeting to go well. We don't want the prince to be disappointed in us, do we? Don't forget, you may have been looking after the princess, but your loyalty should lie only in the prince of our kingdom."

At those words, Dark felt his stomach drop a bit. That's right… he loved his prince after all. He had almost forgotten all about him. The prince was home all alone, probably bored and feeling unwell, while Dark was skipping around enjoying Hyrule and daydreaming about the princess.

Besides, his affections were misplaced. He was leaving tomorrow, why should he bother having any feelings for the princess?

As they pulled up to the castle, Dark felt resolute to forget his feelings for the princess. He hopped out of the carriage, determined and confident that he could. Orland just hopped out tired and hoping to get this over with quickly so he could hit the town.

He gave Dark's shoulder a quick pat. "Now get focused, kid. You don't have to guard the princess today, so you don't need to be so tense!" He gave him a stern eye. "And be extra polite today, lad. I want the negotiations to go well."

Dark nodded as he glanced at some guards who watched him walk by. He knew that they were told to let him wander free on the grounds, but they didn't look too pleased about it. They shuffled in their positions, and one leaned over to the other to whisper.

_Yeah yeah, I get it, I don't make you happy. _Dark turned the corner as fast as he could, giving a deep sigh. Orland followed slowly, frowning at Dark's odd behavior. Why was this boy so strange? Why couldn't he be a normal boy?

The both of them found themselves in a familiar room, with the ridiculously long table and annoyingly beautiful décor. With the exceptions of a few guards, no one else was around yet.

Orland rubbed his chin. "I guess I got too excited. We seem to be a bit early." After giving a bothered, nonsense-sounding mumble, he bonked Dark on the head. "Go fetch me some water, boy, while we wait."

Grumbling at the abuse, Dark remembered the…. 'reminder' about being on his best behavior today and went to do as he was told. While he despised all of this, he also wanted the negotiations to go well. He may be arrogant and prideful, but he still cared for his country and fellow countrymen. "Where the heck am I supposed to get water? Do I just wave over a servant or something?" he wondered out loud.

He slowed to a halt when he saw a large man walking towards him. He didn't recognize this man before, nor the two guards with him, but there was something about him that made Dark uneasy.

The man, seeing the boy in his way, stopped right in front of him. He glared down at Dark with ferocious eyes. Despite being surprised that the man stopped, Dark stared back, determined to not be intimidated.

Finally, after a few moments of silence, the man spoke. "What are you doing here, Sheikah? Have you disobeyed the orders of your king? Or are has your tribe finally located that bloody murder that dared harmed the royal family?"

Realizing the man had mistaken him for a Sheikah, Dark tried to control his voice to prevent an outburst. This guy was so rude. "I'm not a Sheikah. I'm Dark of Labrynna, representing the royal family on the behalf of my prince, Prince…"

"I know who you are," the jerk interrupted, folding his arms. "You're that foreign brat I heard about."

What did this guy say? "Excuse me?" Dark growled slightly, unsure himself of exactly about that sentence he disliked the most. The fact that people were talking about him, the fact he was interrupted, or the fact that he was called a brat.

"For some reason, the king decided that you were a good choice to be the guard for the princess." The man narrowed his eyes. "Ridiculous. Trust a foreigner to protect the royal family? And a suspicious, spoiled little boy at that?" He gave a small laugh. "I heard you got your butt handed to you by Ashei. How can a little kid like you protect the princess if you can't even hold your own against a woman?"

"That's it, you sexist…" Dark's hands clenched into fists, preparing himself for a fight.

"What did you say, brat?" the man hissed at him, his hand reaching for his sword. _Bring it on, _Dark thought as he totally forgot to be on his best manners.

Both males had not heard her coming, or sense her presence, but it was thanks to Victoria that this did not escalate any farther. Dark simply felt a hand rest on his shoulder; a slender, yet firm hand. "Oh my, General Daxton darling, what a pleasure it is to see you again! Tell me, how was your travels from the border?"

Daxton, as he seemed to be called, didn't seem to be pleased seeing her. "Step aside, Victoria. This boy needs to be punished for his behavior."

"_I_ need to be punished?! I didn't do-" He stopped as Victoria's hand squeezed his shoulder.

"Come now, darling, this little boy is simply new here! He's only been here for a short time; he's still new to our customs!" She stroked Dark's hair (which caused Dark to feel like a child and blush a little). "Let him this one time. Please? After all, the boy and his master are leaving tomorrow after the negotiations today."

Daxton didn't move. Victoria gave him large, puppy-like eyes, until the general relaxed and turned to his men. "Let's go." He gave one more glare at Dark and Victoria before he pushed past them, angry.

Once they were out of view, Victoria pressed a hand against her cheek. "Oh my, I guess I angered him!" She winked at Dark. "And so did you, darling. Naughty, angering the army's general."

"I can't believe that guy is the general…" Dark mumbled. "He's so rude, calling me names and acting as if I'm some sort of disease to his country."

Victoria found this amusing. She laughed a little before inspecting her nails. "General Daxton was handpicked by the king eight years ago, and he wasn't even the most obvious choice. After the death of our previous general, we were all worried that the next one simply wouldn't be able to live up to the standards that had been set. But our king did well." She seemed satisfied with her nail job as she continued. "He may be a bit rude, but he has the country's best interests in mind. And besides, the poor man's on edge. He just returned from guarding the borders from the Gerudo, so I'm sure he's stressed."

"That still doesn't give him the right to treat me like that…." Dark mumbled, looking in the direction the general had gone. "Well… anyways, thanks for stopping him." Dark gave her a smile.

She just smiled in return. "Well, whatever you were doing, I suggest you finish up here, darling." Victoria gave a wink. "The negotiations are starting soon. That was your whole purpose for being here, wasn't it? I wouldn't miss it if I were you."

"Ah… right…" Dark wasn't aware, but he suddenly had a sad expression on his face. Seeing the look, Victoria chuckled.

"Don't keep the princess waiting~" she sang as she left towards the meeting.

Remembering that he still got to see the princess today, Dark hurryingly got his master some water and ran back, just in time to see a proper gathering at last. Orland sat near the farthest end of the table, tapping his finger impatiently for his water. Daxton sat on the opposite close to where the princess was going to sit. Victoria sat a chair over from Orland. Seeing Dark, she gave a wave and patted the open seat next to her, between her and Orland.

Feeling relieved that he wasn't going to be near that awful man, Dark handed the cup over to Orland and took his seat, looking down the table. "Where is your boss? And the other tribe leaders?"

A butler was handing Victoria her tea as he asked this. "Thank you, darling," she said. She took a sip before giggling. "Today is just about you and your country, my dear. This is a meeting between ours and yours. So the Gorons won't be coming today." She took another graceful sip. "But we had to wait for General Daxton to arrive, that's why it took so long for another negotiation to be scheduled. It's a few days journey from to here to where the General was."

Dark found himself frowning at this. Why do they need the general here? Then he sighed, realizing. That's right. Daxton was in charge of the military. If they wanted protection, they needed to discuss the details with him too.

That's why they were here, after all, to get protection from the Hyrulean Army.

Orland glared at him for talking too much. Dark was quiet for a moment, before glancing sideways as the woman. "And the advisor?" he asked quietly.

"Once again, he simply cannot come today." Victoria gave a tiny sigh. "He's so busy with the important matters that he doesn't have the time to come."

There it was again…. This man was ignoring Dark's country for 'important' matters. Dark gritted his teeth.

After about 20 minutes for terrible silence, and a fierce, overwhelming hatred coming from Daxton, a man finally announced the arrival of the princess.

"Announcing her majesty, Princess Zelda!"

And there she was. Everyone stood and bowed as she entered, but Dark snuck a glance towards her as she entered. She looked especially regal today in that silvery dress.

Princess Zelda reached her seat and turned to face the small audience. "Greetings, everyone. I welcome Sir Orland and Sir Dark of Labrynna again. And may I introduce General Daxton, who traveled far to be with us today. Thank you, General, for making the journey in such dangerous times," she said with a small nod.

"But of course, it is an honor, Princess Zelda," Daxton said with a low bow.

Zelda smiled before noticing Dark looking her way._ Is he looking at me with... sparkling eyes? _The power of female intuition was seriously scary at times.

She avoided showing a grimace before continuing with the meeting. She knew it, there was something fishy going on with Dark. "I invite everyone to sit." As everyone did so, she gave her attention to Orland. "Sir Orland, please remind those here today as to why we called for these negotiations."

As Orland spoke, Dark was once again lost in his thoughts. A few times, he caught the princess looking at him. When he did, he gave a quick smile, but she simply glowered back at him. After the third time, he started to feel a bit down. Princess Zelda had been rather cold to him today. Was it something he did? They were getting along great yesterday… she had even apologized to him, so what was going on?

Orland had once said that women were like a complicated machine. Sometimes, you simply aren't sure which pulley was acting up because there are too many strings.

This was starting to feel a bit true, Dark just didn't get the princess (even if he was smitten with her.)

The meeting dragged on for hours. Dark didn't say a word the entire time. He just avoided eye contact with Daxton and wondered about the princess. He sometimes tuned in, just enough to understand that Daxton didn't appreciate this meeting and that Orland still was struggling to get his way. Dark wanted more than anything for the night to come so he and the princess could duel again.

Yes, duel…. That was when the princess was in her most beautiful form. Even disguised as a boy, she was so graceful and alluring. And skillful. Ashei was good, and Zelda was captivating.

Of course, Dark only had a three second duel with Ashei so it's hard to compare her fighting style with the princess's.

No no! He should only be loyal to the prince! He shouldn't have feelings for another country's princess! It was wrong. Besides, he was leaving tomorrow! But... He also just couldn't forget her. Even if his mind told him no, his heart was still excited.

Zelda's mind, body, soul, and heart were all telling her a big, fat no. No racing heart for her.

A few hours past, with Dark's mind full of the night that was coming. Finally, at last, the meeting was over. Dark's body was aching from sitting still for a long time, and he desperately wanted to stretch, but that would have to wait till the princess left. Still, it felt good to at least stand. They all bowed as the princess left, with Dark sneaking one last glance.

_That short-sleeved dress is so pretty on her, like she's…. wait…. _Dark blinked at this, realizing something.

_She's wearing a short-sleeved dress? After all that trouble she went through to hide her elbow? Why would she risk it? What is she thinking?!_

And that's when he noticed her elbow… He stared, and stared, for there was no way…. It couldn't be, it had to be a trick of the light… right? Sure, wounds heal, but she had gotten whacked there pretty hard… there was no way it healed by now….

_Why is there no injury? Why doesn't she have a bruise?_

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><p><strong>Finally... <strong>S**orry for the long break between this chapter and the last one. This was suppose to be an important chapter, so I struggled to begin it at all. Then I had to change some stuff around Also, I know that I had a note a long time ago saying I will have it up, but life got in the way… Ahem, long story short, I actually couldn't upload at all, so sorry for the extra wait. **

**Thank you to all my reviewers, and to those who favorite and follow! You guys are the best!**

**Because this was a shorter chapter, here is the extra!**

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><p><strong>Extra: <strong>The Painted Wall: Part 2

Link worked for many weeks at the wall that the king had asked him to paint. Starting on the farthest left side, he worked rightward for a long time, slowly and carefully painting. At first, it simply looked like a mess, but at week three, it was beginning to take shape.

Zelda found herself spending a lot of time with the young painter. She often sat near him as he worked, watching him as he held a tiny smile the entire time he painted.

They talked about many things. After their first strange conversation about Link being a prophet, the topics moved on to the weather, then health, slowly becoming more personal.

Finally, one day, Zelda asked Link about his family. "So, do you have any siblings?" she asked, leaning against her arms that were folded against her knees as she crouched.

Link chuckled, wiping a brush on a towel. "Why yes, a younger brother. He plans on becoming a knight, just like our father."

She sat up a bit higher. "I thought you looked familiar. Your father is one of my family's knights!" She then blinked. "But, that means you are eligible to be a knight too… so why become a painter?"

A sly smile grew across his face. "Because the brush is mightier than the sword!" Link proclaimed, raising his brush high into the air.

"R-really?" she asked, flabbergasted at such a… cliché response.

He turned in his chair to wink at her. "Nope."

Her eyes went wide as she realized she fell for his joke. "Hey!"

"Sorry, sorry!" he laughed, rubbed the back of his head. "It was too perfect to pass up." He rubbed his chin. "I just… painting was my calling. I suppose I can't explain it, really." He had a gentle expression on his face. "When I paint, I feel at ease."

Zelda's heart skipped a beat at that expression. She looked away. She was unaware still that she was falling in love.

**To be continued-**


	13. The Graceful Mask in Danger

**I'm currently working out a new update schedule for this story so that it can be expected when the next chapter should be uploaded. That's why this chapter is out so quickly. **

**In the meantime, enjoy.**

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><p><span>Chapter 13:<span>The Graceful Mask in Danger

Normally, it would be of no concern to someone to see an injury heal. As far as anyone knew, unless you were some villain bent on the destruction of another (such as your archenemy or greatest rival), it was fantastic news that a serious injury, or any wound for that matter, has healed. Especially if your heart aches for the person in question and you don't want to see them hurt in any way. Even more so if you were the person who had actually caused the injury in the first place.

Of course, Dark hadn't thought much of it when he first left the blackened bruise on Princess Zelda's elbow. In his mind at the time, she had been the perfect opponent, or at least one of the greatest opponents he had faced in a while. She served as a gate away from his boredom and disgust in being in Hyrule,away from his prince.

Now Dark felt awful for what he had did. He was the one that had hurt the person he loved, and he was the one that had mentally backed the poor princess into a corner with his overbearing need to find out the truth. It may have given him the chance to be the only one to know her secret, which in turn made him feel special, but he still had some sort of conscious and he still felt a bit bad about it.

But as the day faded into evening, Dark sat in the windowsill of his room at the inn, his legs propped up with his knees against one side of the window, and his back pressed against the other. He stared at his hands that were folded in his lap, unaware that his eyebrows were furrowed together in deep thought. His thumb made small back and forth motions against his fingers as he continuously went back to the moment Princess Zelda had left the hall today.

Dark didn't get a chance to see her after that. The Hylians seemed quite determined that today would not be the day for the either of them to have any direct contact. Not even a word, other than a small greeting, had been spoken between them. Dark would not have given this arrangement a second thought if he had not seen the clear skin of Zelda's elbow.

His thumb stopped moving as he remembered that. The bruise had been so black, how could it clear up so fast? And why did Princess Zelda give him such a dark, cold stare? As she had strolled out of the room, she had shot a glance at him… it was full of malice and dislike.

His hands gripped each other tighter. They had been getting along… what had changed?

It didn't feel like he did another thing wrong. He has been on his best behavior the past few days, he was sure of it.

Something didn't add up inside his head. The cruel stare, the missing bruise. They way she looked at him seemed out of character, but maybe she just slept poorly. And perhaps she used cosmetics to cover the injury, but if that was the case, why didn't she do it from the start? Why would she put her health at risk like she did a while ago if she could have just covered it up with powder? He was so focused on this, so uneasy about the situation that he didn't give that rude general, Daxton, another thought since this afternoon.

_Just what is going on here? I feel like something has been off since I've been here, but… only now have I noticed it._

Princess Zelda has always had some… slightly odd behaviors. Especially the time when her voice sounded funny, and she kicked him out of the castle grounds for the rest of the day. Why would she have done that for a simple frog in the throat?

Or when she had fainted, and Dark jumped into the fountain with her to cool her off. She had looked so grateful that he hid her injury, even if it got her soaking wet. Then, she had screamed at one point and crossed her arms over her chest. Dark had thought at the time that maybe her dress was showing through, but now that he thought back, there was something else that had been odd… What was it? Dark couldn't put his finger on what it could have been.

All of this began to come crashing down on him for the simple reason that there should be a bruise on Zelda's elbow. It's amazing as to what can cause the mind to put the puzzle pieces into place, even if Dark had yet to realize that he was slowly on the verge of Princess Zelda's greatest secret yet.

_I need to go to that fight to get answers. I'll go crazy if I don't._

The door slammed opened as Orland entered the room, a huge mug in his hand. "Ahhhhhh, success. That Daxton fellow at me a bit worried, since he didn't want to send us support troops, but thankfully that princess is truly a goddess for granting us what we need! We finally can go home now." He took a sip of his beer before noticing that Dark hadn't even flinched when he had entered the room. "Oi, lad."

Dark didn't respond. Unfortunately for him, he didn't even notice that his master had come back from the tavern at all. He paid for this when he felt a whack on the back on his head to get him back to his senses. "Dark!"

The young man snapped back into reality with a jolt and a small gasp of pain. He rubbed the back of his head and glared at Orland, used to it but still not particularly pleased with Orland's methods. "What?!" he asked with irritation.

Orland took another swig at his drink. "You were in deep thought, and didn't respond." He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "We may not be on duty, boy, but you should always have your guard up and be alert on your surroundings."

Dark sat up straighter in the windowsill and gave a glare at Orland, but didn't say anything. His master knew him well enough at this point in their relationship that when Dark didn't have some sort of snappy, sarcastic comeback that something was wrong. Giving a small sigh, Orland pulled up the nearest chair and sat backwards on it, with his legs on either side of the chair's back. "What's on your mind, lad?"

This sudden interest in Dark's personal issues had Dark taken by surprise. _Since when do you care? _Dark thought. This wasn't a cruel thought; this was actually true. Since when did Orland ever give a care when Dark seemed upset or in some sort of trouble? Dark looked at Orland with a suspicious expression.

The older man took another sip of his beer. "You are like a children's book, so easy to read." He gave a yawn. "Come on, lad, get it off your chest. You should be rejoicing. I thought you wanted to go home since you got here."

Alright, he'll bite. Dark turned so his legs dangled over the window's ledge to face Orland, giving a small shrug. "Hyrule is just strange, that's all." He hoped Orland would go to sleep soon so he could sneak out and see the Princess one last time, for two reasons. For one, it will be his last time to see her, possibly forever.

The new reason was because his curious nature couldn't let him leave until he put his mind at ease. He had to learn what happened to that bruise. For some reason, it felt like a missing link to something.

Hearing Dark's words, Orland let out a deep laugh. "Haha, that's true!" He stood and slapped Dark on the shoulder with a giant grin on his face, looking pleased and proud.

"Ow, hey!" Dark winced, rubbing his now aching arm. "What was that for?"

"Wasn't sure how keen your senses where, so that was a slap of congratulations!" Orland told him. He strolled over to his bed and sat heavily on it, setting his mug on the stand nearby.

"Congratulations?" What did that mean? Well, at least Orland was on his bed. It shouldn't be long when the man falls asleep. Then, Dark can slip away.

Suddenly, Orland's expression got extremely serious. He leaned on his knees and rested his head on the back of his hands, staring at the wall ahead of him. He talked to Dark without looking at him. "That's right. You picked up on the strangeness. A good guard knows when to pretend not to, that's why I don't say much. But very few can deny that it has been weird since we've gotten here."

Dark felt himself pale a bit. Does that mean the Princess's secret about her dueling was too obvious? She won't be pleased about this.

Luckily, Orland wasn't facing him when this happened, so he didn't suspect a thing. "Ever since that murder ten years ago, the king has never been the same. Barely anyone has seen Princess Zelda since that time, even for negotiations. Only those who actually live and work at the castle come in the most contact with her. And the king himself has become a great mystery." Orland gave another sigh and rubbed his temple, suddenly looking a bit old and worn. "It's quite troublesome. Makes it hard to keep the alliance in balance."

Oh, it was more about that sort of thing. Dark felt slight relief as he realized it had been about the other weirdness in this country. He watched as Orland laid back in his bed, giving another yawn.

"Well, better get to bed, boy. I had something to tell you, but I can't remember right now… it can wait till… morn…." And with that, Orland fell asleep. His ability to sleep instantaneously was simply otherworldly.

As Orland began to snore, Dark thought about what he had said. Now that Orland mentioned it, the king's behavior has been odd, not including that advisor of his. Dark could count on his fingers the number of times he has seen the king and his advisor combined. Most nobles would be in frequent contact when it came to matters with their allies, but all the business got pushed into Miss Victoria and Princess Zelda instead.

_Arg, I don't have time to think about this, I need to get to that fight, _Dark thought to himself. He gave himself a tiny slap on the cheek to try to help clear his thoughts and prepared to go.

Just to be safe, Dark gave it about ten minutes before he threw his boots on and wrapped himself in his black cloak. He gave Orland's cheek one good poke to double check that he was out, before he tip-toed out of the tiny room and down the stairs.

The stairs rounded a corner, so before he continued down he peeked around the corner to make sure no one was there. It was late at this point; usually people had gone off to bed at this time, including the owners. He didn't see anyone from his position, nor did he hear movement. Assuming it was safe, he continued down the rest of the stairs.

And froze at the sight of the red-haired hostess, Marin. She was the only one there, bent over the table she sat at. Dark stood still as he watched her small back and shoulders rise and fall as a steady pace. He realized after a bit that she was still asleep. He carefully reached the bottom on the step and snuck by her, glancing at her sleeping face as she did.

She had her face resting on her crossed arms, in deep sleep. Marin was very busy every day, doing many chores for the inn and keeping the customers happy. Frankly, she looked exhausted, even while she slept. Dark still remembered the day they had hung out a bit, and went to see that creepy woman who told his ridiculous fortune. Dark hadn't given that woman's words a second thought since that day.

Marin has been kind since he had gotten there, and was someone he had come to like, even if they didn't interact too often. He let out a small chuckle, and found a blanket in the corner. He carefully laid it across her shoulders before finally sneaking out of the inn.

As he suspected, the streets were pretty empty except for a few stranglers and some guards at their posts. Dark crouched around a corner and peered around the stone of the building carefully to watch a pair of guards march by. He supposed that he could walk around the streets safely; after all, he wasn't doing anything wrong by just walking at night. But he was pretty well known at the castle by now, and he didn't want to risk being recognized for any reason.

When the guards passed his corner, he pulled his hood over his face more to blend better into the shadows. As the sound of their footsteps faded, Dark stood and took off in the other direction.

It wasn't long before Dark had finally reached the covered entrance to the secret arena, but he was stopped short when he saw two more soldiers standing close by. He ducking behind a barrel and pulled his cloak around him, gritting his teeth. _Damn, they better move soon. I can't be late again._

The men just stood there chatting, so it didn't seem like they suspected anything about the vines behind them. The shorter guard let out a sharp sigh. "I can't believe we haven't been given orders to do anything about it."

The larger one gave a short laugh. Dark heard his armor click as the rubbed together when the man folded his arms. "It's normal, probably a mugging or something. Nothing to send a small army after."

_What are they talking about? _Dark wondered. _Why don't they just move?_ Giving a small growl of irritation, Dark went to sneak a look at the guards to see if they were going to move anytime soon when he spotted a small rock by his hand. _Convenient. _He picked up the rock and looked down the street. After a few quick glances, he saw a pot on a window and got an idea. He just hoped his aim was good enough; he didn't have all day to let these guards gossip.

Taking a deep breath, Dark carefully aim at the pot and, without coming into the guards view, threw the rock.

He watched it sail through the air and fall short, by a lot. It made a tiny clattering sound against the cobble road as its sudden trip ended.

Dark facepalmed at his pathetic attempt to distract the guards, but he then froze when he realized that he had least gotten their attention. "What was that?" the larger guard asked, turning to look towards the sound.

"Probably a cat. There are too many strays around here," the other reassured, giving a yawn. "Damn, I hate the night shift. Too many creepy sounds… Especially with that 'mugger' around, even if his territory _is_ near the waterway. "

_Crap, they are never going to move, _Dark growled mentally. He debated about his next move when he nearly jumped out of his skin at the piercing sound of the clay pot shattering against the ground. He wasn't the only one; the two soldiers were suddenly on high alert, gripping their spears and pointing them down towards the street.

"Who goes there?!" one of them called out. Dark shrunk farther into his corner, hoping to not get noticed. He had not been prepared for the pot to shatter like that. He hoped he hadn't been in view. He glanced over at the fallen pot, wondering what had caused it to topple over. It was not him, that was for sure. And there was too much dirt and broken clay all over the street for him to see anything that would have caused the crash.

When there was no response, the larger guard indicated to his companion, and they went to investigate. Dark held his breath as they pasted his hiding spot. The moment they passed him, Dark rushed towards the vines covering the entrance while their backs were turned, careful to not make a sound as he did.

Pushing past the vines, he finally released his breath, only realizing now that he had still been holding it. He let out a relieved sigh and clutched his chest slightly, trying to calm his beating heart. If he had been caught sneaking in here, not only would have this placed have been revealed, but he could have been thrown into jail. And let his prince down.

He would have probably let down the princess as well, then personally murdered by his master. Then resurrected by Orland to be murdered again.

It was amazing how love can cause you to do such things. Dark knew he shouldn't be doing something illegal while on a diplomatic mission for his own country, but if this was his last chance to see her…. Then it was worth the risk.

Besides, there was still the mystery behind today and that bruise.

Dark heard the vines rustle behind him as someone entered the crack behind him. He froze, his mind instantly jumping to the idea that the guards had found this place. Instincts kicked in, and he whipped around with his hand on the hilt of his weapon.

The person who had entered also reacted when they saw Dark go into the offensive, and Dark saw the figure reach for their own weapon in defense. As his eyes quickly adjusted, Dark realized that it was the princess, wearing the same mask and disguise that she had before. He could recognize that mask anywhere.

"Prin- er, I mean… Graceful Mask," Dark exclaimed under his breath, relaxing from his stance.

Link gave Dark a quiet nod, glad Dark remembered about his alter-ego's name. He had been waiting all day for this fight, both excited to be back out in the arena, and nervous to be dueling Dark again. That was he told himself, at least, he couldn't imagine another reason to be nervous to see Dark again.

He was especially glad nothing out of the ordinary happened today. When he had woken up (late, of course), he had been worrying about Zelda and Dark being in the same room together. He knew Zelda hated Dark, even though Link kept trying to reassure her that Dark was on their side. Furthermore, he had been afraid that Dark may notice something strange with the switch.

But Link's fears were calmed when Zelda finally returned to the tower. She had been wearing a long-sleeved dress, so her elbow was covered. And if their interaction had been as minimal as had Zelda claimed, then Link felt safe.

What he didn't know yet was that Zelda had changed before she saw him. She just so happened to have spilled some soup on her dress by accident.

He had no reason to suspect that Dark was a step closer to discovering his true secret.

"You are early," Link said, sounding muffled under his mask. He was happy to see Dark, though. It sort of felt… nice to have a friend to trust and rely on for this. He could get used to this feeling.

"Ah… Well, I didn't want to be late again. Besides, I-" Dark began to say, but Link held up a hand to silence him, looking behind him through the vines.

"We can't talk here. Let's go deeper inside." With that, Link pushed past Dark and down deeper into the crack. Dark looked back to check if anyone was following before starting after Link.

"I'm surprised to see you," Dark said in a whisper as he felt the wall for guidance in the dark. And very happy to see her. His heart fluttered a bit. He could hear Link's footsteps against him as Link expertly moved through the familiar path.

"I was able to sneak out early today. I saw you duck behind that barrel, so I figured I could the both of us out," Link responded.

So it was the princess who had broken the pot. He had figured that it hadn't fallen on its own, but Dark was still impressed and surprised. "How…"

"I threw a rock I found," Dark heard the princess say.

Suddenly, Dark felt his cheeks burn red. Dark had tried that, and hearing that the princess had been successful where he had failed was embarrassing. "You didn't see anything else, did you?"

"No, why?" Link asked, wondering what he meant by that. Was there something else that he was supposed to have seen?

"No reason," Dark coughed a bit to hide his embarrassment. Damn, the princess was a good shot. "Thank you for your help."

He heard Link chuckle a bit. "Well, I needed to get in here too, so it worked out."

Perhaps it was a bit conceited of him to believe the princess had done it for him, but Dark still felt a bit down hearing that it wasn't just for him. He was about to let out a disappointed sigh when he remembered that he wanted to ask about the bruise.

"Hey, I was wondering-" he started to say, but they had reached the arena, and Link suddenly turned and covered Dark's mouth with his hand.

"Quiet now. I can't let on about who I am at all, got it?" Dark nodded vigorously, mentally cursing himself for waiting so long to ask. Link released Dark's mouth and gave him a thumbs up. "If you want to duel me, you better win, ok? Only the winner gets to duel me." Dark blinked slowly. Did… the princess want him to win? His heart was fluttering again as the princess vanished to where she was supposed to wait.

Dark watched her walking quickly down the stone steps, smiling to himself. He was probably just being paranoid, and for no reason. She was really nice, even if she had a huge protective wall around herself. She pretended to be tough on Dark, but Dark was sure she was starting to enjoy his company. Or at least he really hoped so. Dark really felt that she was starting to open up… too bad that he was leaving tomorrow.

As the princess pasted a lit torch, Dark could see her body a little better. _Wow, without her dress, she really does look rather masculine. Sort of. And how did she get her chest so flat? _Unconsciously, his eyes glanced over her left elbow. The princess was wearing a short-sleeved tunic, so her elbow was exposed. Even if he should trust her, he couldn't help it. He had to know.

And when he saw it, his heart dropped. The bruise was still there, and it was still rather dark. What was going on? Could make-up really cover such an injury?

He gripped his head as the princess disappeared out of view. What… just what _was _going on?

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><p>It wasn't long until the arena was starting to fill with spectators and competitors. Dark was one the first people to sign up for the night. The announcer recognized him almost instantly.<p>

"Ah, Orland, welcome back," he said, writing his name down on a piece of paper. "Looks like this time you arrived early. Good, good. You probably wouldn't have gotten as lucky as you did last time."

Hearing his master's name, Dark had almost forgotten that he had stolen his master's identity. He blinked in confusion for a moment before he remembered his stupidity. Of course, at the time he didn't think he would be back, but now it was far too late.

He would have to keep up the appearance. "That's right, figured I would take a second swing at the champion," he mumbled, pulling his hood down over his head. He was still feeling down, his mind not at ease as all. It was hard to not be troubled by all this weirdness and mystery.

The man let out a joyful laugh. "You sound so down! Don't worry, kid, you were pretty good last time! If you put up a fight like you did before, I wouldn't be surprised if you become our new champion!"

Hearing that surprised Dark, but he didn't say anything more. He didn't want to hurt the princess, but his pride definitely wouldn't let him just lose either. He took a seat where the announcer indicated, and waited for his turn. He watched as the other competitors lined up next him. As he suspected, most of them were really just farmers or men without training. Big, brawny, and relying too much on their strength. Dark wondered if that man who had helped him into the fight last time would appear. He had been the only one Dark had seen here besides the princess that had skill, but Dark didn't see him show up.

Getting to the princess was going to be easy. Dark just hoped that after their fight, he could properly talk to her. He needed to calm himself down. Getting some information from her will help. Meanwhile, Dark simply watched as the other competitors signed up with the announcer as well, sizing them up carefully so he could be prepared for any fight. Almost all of them were quite easy to figure out, especially the large ones with the overconfident looks on their faces. The only one Dark couldn't make anything out was a tall figure wearing a cloak and a hood like Dark was.

While Dark sat there, Link peeked out into the crowd. Link couldn't see the fighters from his position, but that didn't particularly bother him. He simply figured that tonight many people were not going to show up, so it should be rather quick. After all, most people missed a rescheduled fight, and generally have to wait for the next brawl. He was only expecting a few fighters. He will be fighting Dark in no time.

Smiling at the thought, Link withdrew back into the champion's room and waited for it all to begin. _If Dark leaves believing I'm Princess Zelda, then I'm ok with that. I really don't think he'll tell my secret, about all of this. _

Especially since Dark was participating. If he let on about this dueling, Dark would also get in trouble for disobeying the law. Even with this knowledge, Link felt that that wasn't the true reason for Dark's silence. That made him feel really... happy.

For years, Link only had Princess Zelda and Pipit as his companions. Except for the king himself, barely anyone knows Link is even alive as his own person. Of course, Dark doesn't know yet either. But not even Zelda and Pipit know of this, of Link's secret pleasure. Dark was the only one now, and while that was terrifying at first, now it felt comforting now. He closed his eyes, gripping his sword a bit tighter at the feeling in his chest.

It wasn't long after this Link heard the announcer calm down the crowd and began the fights. "Ladies and gentlemen! The greatest few hours of your week is finally about to begin! My name is Purlo and I'll be your host!" The crowd went wild hearing this, clapping and calling out in excitement. Link knew the other fighters ate up this attention, but Link didn't care for the crowds. He was only here for his few minutes of being himself.

_Now that I think about it, I don't think Dark enjoys the spotlight either. _Perhaps they were more alike than Link first thought. That put another smile on his face.

But that smile was instantly gone when Purlo spoke again. "Now, as you all know, we often have our one on one fights, before the victor duels it out with our nine-year undefeated champion. But today, I have a special treat for you all."

Link snapped around at those words. _What was that? _What did that man say? In all of Link's years here, he had never heard anything like that before. This was different, and in Link's experience, different was almost never, ever good.

He peered back out, seeing the puzzled expressions on the crowd as well. Purlo continued, "Now now, I promise it's fine! It's just to spice things up! Instead of one on one, everyone will all fight together in one, great duel!" Link paled as the crowd processed what was said, then went up in an excited uproar. One huge brawl? Now _that _sounded fun to them.

The young champion in the back did not agree. Neither did Dark. Dark paled at the thought of a huge brawl. There were less fighters than last week, but still enough that this may be difficult, especially if Dark didn't want to fatally wound any one of them. He glanced at the other fighters, who looked ecstatic.

A large man flex his right arm as a display of power. "All right! I'll be sure to take out the scrawny ones first!" He grinned in the direction of a Dark and a small man next to him. The small man caught the other's look and had a nervous expression on his face.

"Now, before we begin, why don't we welcome our champion first?" Purlo said, before turning to indicate towards Link to come to him. "Come on up, Graceful Mask!"

Link was frozen in place. Was this guy serious? He gritted his teeth. Something about this felt off. But he couldn't ignore this either. If he walked out, if position as champion could be at jeopardy. _Damn it. I will have to play along. _

That was it for Dark, though. Ripping of cloak, he hoisted himself onto the arena with ease and got in the announcer's face. "What's going on? What's with this strange fight?" he demanded.

Purlo raised his hands up in defense, giving a chuckle. "Relax, kid, it's just to spice things up!" He glanced to either side of him before leaning in a bit closer to Dark. "But let's just say the costumer is always right," he whispered, ending with wink.

"What?" Dark growled. What customer? What was he talking about? But he didn't get to dwell on it much longer as he noticed Link emerging from the back room. _Princess... _Dark thought with worry as Link joined him up on the platform. Link stood there silently, as he always have done here, his expression unreadable behind the Keaton sword was already out as Purlo turned back to the crowd. _Don't act as if anything is wrong Link. You've got this. _Link took a deep breath to calm himself down.

"The last person standing will be the champion!" Purlo laughed excitedly. "All fighters, get ready!"

That's when it dawned on Dark that the princess was going to have to fight in this huge brawl too. He paled and glanced over at her. _Oh no! If she get's injured, or if her wig is knocked off... _That's why she fought the way she did, giving space between her and her opponent, to avoid her identity being accidentally discovered. And many of these fighters will probably target her so they could finally have the honor of being champion, and having the legacy of beating the Graceful Mask. Could she handle so many opponents at once? She was good, but it was still a lot to handle.

Growling, Dark pulled his sword out from his belt as the fighters clamored onto the arena, their own weapons drawn. _Then, I better make sure none of these hooligans discover who she is. _Dark glanced at each one of them, giving himself reminders on each one. That one was going to charge in too quickly, that one doesn't have any skill... wait a minute. Dark blinked and his eyes went wide a bit. Where as the man in the cloak?

The crowed was going wild as the announcer barely gave any time to let them prepare. "FIGHT!"

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><p><strong>Thank you for the wonderful reviews! They put a smile on my face when I read them. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!<strong>

**And thank you to all who favorited/followed the story,and/or favorited/followed me as an author. It means a lot to me! Please look forward to chapter 14. **

**The below exert is not an extra, but I realized that that I have many characters in this story, and decided to add small biographies about them (of course, I also did it for myself because it's fun). I have many, so I only did a few for now. I'll add more on the next chapter. In parenthesis are the character's ages. **

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><p><em>Dark <em>(16)- a cocky boy from the country of Labrynna who is a personal guard in training for the Labrynna's Royal Family. He often lets his emotions control his actions, but he usually means well. He has fallen for Link (as Princess Zelda), unaware 'she' was actually a 'he' yet. His red eyes often get him mistaken as a Sheikah in Hyrule, much to his annoyance. He often forgets to cut his hair.

_Link_ (15)- a kind boy who is forced to play the Princess Zelda, in exchange for his life. He experienced a tragic loss in his life, and doesn't try to fight his fate because he knows nothing else. He secretly enjoys dresses, but is still in touch with his masculinity despite being raised a women. He still hasn't figured out why seeing Dark makes him feel so happy. He enjoys sleeping in until the afternoon if he could.

_Princess Zelda _(15)- the strong-willed princess of Hyrule who is determined to protect Link at all costs. She distrusts Dark immensely. She hates being locked up in her room and being hidden away, but she puts up with it for Link's sake. She fiercely cares for her country and people, willing to do anything to protect them.

_Pipit _(26)- a talented, extremely caring Knight of Hyrule who was assigned the task of caring for Zelda and Link since they were young. He is loyal to the king, and believes deeply in the ways of knighthood and keeping vows. His high level of morals can sometimes be troubling and frustrating, but that's what allows him to put everything he has into what he does, making him almost prodigy-like as a knight. Many people comment that his skills are wasted as Zelda's caretaker.

_Victoria _(20-30s? [You know better than to ask a woman her age, darling!])- the gorgeous, flirtatious assistant of the King's Advisor. Her taste in men's physical appearances can often be questionable and she often appears in the strangest places, but she always helps Dark out when he's in a pickle. She can't but play matchmaker, and she enjoys being mysterious, making it almost useless to ask her any personal questions.

_Orland _(39)- Dark's master, and personal guard of the Labrynna's Royal Family. He personally tended to his King for many years. He still seems to believe he's in his early prime years, often expressed in attempts to woo women at any tavern or party he attends. Despite acting like lecher and not seeming to take his work seriously time to time, he still seems to notice more things then he lets on. He's rather harsh on Dark often.

_Ashei _(25)- a female knight of Hyrule's army, and one of the most talented knights in Hyrule proper. She was personally trained by her father, who had been a knight as well. She's a bit more homely than someone like Zelda or Victoria, but that doesn't bother her at all. She is feared by many soldiers and knights, especially Groose, and doesn't speak unless something is needed to be said. Fledge is currently her apprentice.


	14. Link's Great Secret

**Ok, so I don't normally do this because I do have quite a few reviewers and its too hard to thank each one properly every time, but I wanted to thank Le Chat d'Oz for the most beautiful review of all time. I love all my reviewers, and all the people who favorite, follow, or just simply read my story, but Le Chat wrote the most beautiful review of all time. I was speechless. I have never gotten such a beautiful review in my life. So thank you very, very much. **

**And thank you to everyone who does take the time to review my story, including Naughty Jesus, xosugarheartsxo, Imagination That, TatsuyaAngel17, Al'-chan24, Guests ( ;) ) and anyone else I have forgotten. I cannot express how happy it makes me, and how much it boosts my motivation and confidence. I almost feel like a proper writer thanks to everyone, including my followers and people who favorited.**

**Once again, thank you very, very much. *bows deeply***

**And now, enjoy!**

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><p><span>Chapter 14: Link's Great Secret: You Are Not A Princess<span>

"Impa! Impa! Look! Look!" Zelda exclaimed, holding up a dead bug she had found in the corner. It was shriveled up with its legs curled into it, and its wings were dried up and somewhat half eaten. It was pretty disgusting to look at, but Zelda didn't care; she was excited by her find. "What is it? What is it? Is it a beetle!?"

The princess's nursemaid, Impa, bent down to examine the corpse. She rubbed her chin for a minute, with a very serious expression on her face. After a moment of debating, she shook her head. "Princess, remember what I said about beetles?"

The princess had a look of confusion as she lowered the disgusting insect to examine it again. Impa watched as the girl was clearly wracking her brain for answers.

"Um…. Beetles have…. Ltra?" she said in a question, not really remembering.

"Beetles have elytra. That's a second pair of wings that have hardened into a shell over the other pair. In other words, their wings are covered. Are the wings on this bug covered, princess?"

Zelda shook her head, and Impa nodded. "Good girl. This is a dragonfly."

Hearing the word 'dragon,' Zelda got even more excited than before. Her eyes went wide. "Waahh, does it breath fire?!" Zelda gasped, amazed, staring back down at it.

Before Impa could reply, a young boy, a few years older than Zelda, peeked around his mother's back to look at the bug. "Ew! Princesses shouldn't play with bugs!" he cringed, scrunching his nose at the sight of the dragonfly.

"Why not?" Zelda huffed, puffing her cheeks out in annoyance.

"Because it's gross!" he told her, stepping out to face her. He folded his arms, with a look and a tone that made it seem like he knew everything. "What if you get sick? Then, we can't play outside!"

Following his logic, Zelda dropped the bug as her face twisted with fear. "But I don't want to get sick, I want to plway Ninjas with you…."

Hearing this, Impa let out a tiny sigh as she patted Zelda's head. The child still had so much to learn, but that was what she was there for. "Now now, you won't get sick from just holding an insect. Sheik, it's good you are worried about her, but remember she needs to learn to also take care of herself. Understand?"

"Yes, mother," Sheik mumbled, but he still kicked the bug away and took Zelda's hand. "Come on, let's go play in the garden."

Such a tiresome pair. Impa has cared for the princess and her own son for several years now, and even after they have aged, things still haven't changed much. "Hmph, you haven't even had breakfast yet..." Impa was cut off as the door flew open, and a Sheikah warrior stood there, panting with a look of absolute horror on his face. "Lady Impa, it's terrible-!" He noticed the children and stopped instantly. "… I must speak with you privately." He said with a bit more calm, but he certainly didn't look it at all.

Sensing the urgency, Impa stood and glanced at Sheik and Zelda. "Sheik, stay here with Zelda." She left the room. She knew that they would obey her

Both of the children blinked with confusion, Sheik with more concern than Zelda. As a young Sheikah, he was privy to many behind the scenes knowledge, so he had often seen times when frantic news called for his mother's aid. Zelda, however, had not. "What's wrong?" Zelda asked.

"Don't worry, Princess, it's fine," Sheik replied, patting her head.

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><p>Zelda opened her eyes from reliving that horrible memory. Zelda wished that that had been true. She really, really wished that had been true. But now, nearly ten years later after the death of her uncle, it was hard to burn the rest of that day out of her head. That was the last day she had seen Sheik or Impa. If only Sheik's words had been true.<p>

"It's fine…" she mumbled, glancing over the small book in her head, scratching at her head with irritation. It was sort of hard not to be irritated; this damned book was giving her more trouble than she could have anticipated.

But she simply wasn't getting anywhere, and frankly it wasn't truly her fault, but dear lord it felt like it was. She was the type of person that when she isn't able to do something, it felt like it was her fault in some way. This type of person is called an 'overachiever' and this can be seen as both a blessing and a curse. Depending on how this was seen depended on another personality trait that people possessed: an optimist, a person who sees the glass half-full, or a pessimist, a person who sees the glass half-empty.

Zelda was the type of person who would carefully measure the water in the cup to be sure if it's actually half-way or not. There was probably a percentage of how much water was actually in there thrown in for good measure as well.

She snapped the book shut in frustration, and let out a deep sigh. She was clearly getting nowhere with this, and it was getting too late to continue to worry about it any longer. She glanced out the window, looking up at the cloudless sky towards the moon. That awful memory was getting to her again. She wished she could talk to Link, but he was asleep now for sure, and she didn't want to bother him. They don't speak of that day, but being near Link was calming. It reminded her that she wasn't really the one who was suffering.

Her fist clenched tightly. Damn it all, damn Father for all these years! How dare he make Link do all these ridiculous things, and send people she cared about so far away! No… She rubbed her temples as she calmed herself. She shouldn't think that way. Father had never been the same since that day; he was suffering too. Even if he _has_ put Link and herself through hell, it was for her benefit in the end. That murderer was still out there. They had to be, if the Sheikah have yet to return. Or at least, that's how it seemed.

Damn it, when she becomes Queen…. Everything will change, that was for sure. If only she was older…

There was a knock on her door, disturbing her thoughts. She looked towards the sound, knowing it was probably Pipit. Father never visited this late at night. She bent down towards the floor and, with a quick flick of her wrist, slid the book across the floor and under her bed. Satisfied with where it landed, she sat up straight. "Come in."

As she thought, it was Pipit. The knight, holding a candle in one hand and a small glass of milk in the other, gave her a quick smile. "Princess, you are still up. You should be sleeping now. There will be a lot going on soon."

A lot going on soon? Oh, that was right, the party for the festival. "Oh, right. I almost forgot about that." She gave a chuckle. "Alright, I'll go to bed."

"Good," Pipit said as he opened the door a bit wider. "Why are you up, anyways? Something on your mind?"

Zelda looked a little surprised by his question. She supposed it was clear on her face something was bothering her. There were many things, but which one should she tell him about? Which one could help her the most?

After a moment of silence, she reached her decision. She glanced back down at the table, her eyes filled with sadness and worry. "I'm concerned about… the Zoras. We haven't heard from them in a long time. And Father doesn't seem to be pressing the issue." She bit her lip. "Plus, the water issue as well. The people are suffering. I wish I could send some troops to go investigate. The two have to be connected, I'm sure of it."

Pipit closed his eyes as he thought of an answer. "… I wish we could too, princess. But the King has his reasons."

"What could they possibly be?!" She swept her hand outwards to indicate towards the window, pointing towards the city. "Our people are thirsty! We may have gotten water from our allies, but how long can we continue to trade? And we are getting ready to throw this ball, while we should be protecting our people instead!" she yelled, her voice starting to rise in anger. Pipit had a look of shock on his face at Zelda's sudden outburst. Seeing the expression, she calmed herself down again, reminding herself that it was not Pipit's fault. It wasn't fair to yell at him. "I'm sorry."

"Princess…." Pipit said, giving a gentle smile. "You will be a good ruler one day, I know it. But you are still young." He walked over to her and handed her the milk. "There's no evidence that the water problem and the missing Zoras are connected. And with the conflict with the Gerudo, we can't simply waste human resources on an issue that we have no control over. Unless we are given a very good reason to, there is no reason to go pester the Zoras."

"Even if they have been missing? What could possibly be a good reason, then? When does it become deniable?!" she asked, feeling the anger starting to rise again.

Upset, Pipit just shook his head. "I don't know, I really don't. But no one reliable has heard anything or knows anything. All we can do is wait. Now, get some rest." Patting her head, he gave her one last smile. He turned and began to walk out the door, but stopped half way and turned back towards her. "By the way… Has Link talked to you about anything?"

Zelda had been staring at the cool milk in her hands, angry at how things were turning out. Everything felt so corrupt. Hearing Pipit's question, though, she gave a puzzled look. "Like?"

"Well, like… has he been feeling unwell? Does he talk about weird stuff, something new and unusual?" Pipit asked.

New and unusual? Zelda looked at the ceiling as she thought about Link's behavior over the past week or so. He hasn't really said anything, but he does seem to be getting closer and closer to that Dark.

"Hasn't said anything," she said, giving a shrug.

"Is that so? Then, have a good night." And with that, Pipit closed the door behind him.

Once she could no longer hear his footsteps, Zelda set the glass of milk down and frowned deeply at that bizarre ending to their conversation. She did not like Pipit's question at all. Something was up, something very, very bad.

Zelda rubbed her chin. "… I'm running out of time…"

* * *

><p>How does one describe the unimaginable, unspeakable, indescribable horror Link and Dark were feeling at this moment in time? How could one express the feelings that the both of them were going through as they watched the contestants of this ridiculous illegal activity, that had suddenly turned on its head and threw them into a loop, climb up onto the stage with their weapons drawn?<p>

While both of them were feeling horror, it was still on different levels. Dark felt his stomach drop at the idea of the one he loved getting hurt or worse, found out as the Princess of Hyrule. He knew already the lengths that she had taken to protect her identity, and while he was deeply worried for her, he was determined to protect the princess at all costs. What he didn't properly know, however, was why.

And it was this why that shaped Link's own feelings of horror. He was not even a woman. And the fact that Dark was there actually made it worse. He didn't care if the contestants found out he was a he, because frankly the Graceful Mask was a male identity. What he was worried about was either getting seriously injured to the point that even he couldn't hide it from the King and Zelda, or Dark finding out his true secret: he was not Princess Zelda.

Regardless of their feelings, both of them knew that they couldn't stop the fight. So they were simply going to have to participate; Dark determined to protect the Princess, and Link determined to keep Dark at a nice, comfortable distance, just in case.

With his blade in his hand, Dark stepped between the fighters and the princess, giving an intense stare. This was going to be tough. With this thought in his mind, he forgot about the man in the cloak, his mind only on the fight for now. He didn't want to hurt these people, but he couldn't let them near Zelda. It was a shame that he couldn't enjoy the thrill of the fight like he normally could, but for the first time, something trumped his love for dueling.

Luckily for him, not all the competitors rushed Link. Instead, a huge free-for-all broke out, with many of the men turning on each other. One large man did charge towards the Graceful Mask, however, grinning from ear to ear.

Within in instant, Dark charged and blocked his path, sword up between them. The man just laughed, holding his own weapon in hand. "Move, boy, before you get hurt! I'll become champion today!" he roared with glee, swinging his weapon down with brute strength.

But strength wasn't everything in this battle. Dark dodged easily and stepped forward, ramming the hilt of his sword into the man's face. It was lucky for Dark that he did this, as another man was thrown off the arena right behind him. If he had waited one more second, he would have been taken down.

As the man he hit stumbled back, Dark glanced behind him to see the man that almost had him. _Too close! _Dark thought franticly, as the announcer went wild.

"Ohhh, and it looks like good ol' Kent is out for the count already by Mr. Lock! Devastating, for sure. And there goes another sucker by the hands of the Graceful Mask! Didn't even lay a hand on him!"

As much as Dark wanted to glance behind him to check on Link, he didn't get the chance as he was grabbed by the collar, probably by Mr. Locks. He felt the strong arm preparing to fling him off the arena, and he rammed his sword into the ground to prevent this. It slowed down the throw, but didn't stop it, as Dark was hurled towards the arena's edge. He slid to a stop at the ledge, luckily still holding onto his sword.

Link had seen the toss, and he felt a panic set in again. If Dark was hurt because Link told him about today….

That nearly stopped Link in his tracks for a moment. If Dark got hurt because if him… Because he let it slip that the fight was today… This would be all his fault. For a moment, Link forgot his own troubles.

Dark struggled to get up. _Damn, there are too many to keep track of…_ Dark growled mentally. He saw another man charge at him, seeing him down. _Crap, I'm not going to make it! _

He raised his arm in an instinctive gesture of defense, but it was unneeded as from nowhere Link rammed his entire body into the side of the charging man. The man stumbled, off balance, while Link, still firmly standing on the ground, placed his foot behind the wobbling man and swept his left foot from under him. The man tumbled to the ground. Link didn't stick around long as he jumped back from another weapon swinging down at him.

"Whoa, did you see that folks?! The Graceful Mask went into full body contact! Now that's something we haven't seen yet!" Purlo yelled out in pure joy, clearly enjoying this.

Finally on his feet, Dark was amazed. _She saved me… She actually saved me._ He was simply stunned. With her identity at risk, he couldn't believe she put herself in danger like that to help _him_. His heart fluttered before he went to strike the man down who nearly hit her.

Meanwhile, while Dark's heart was all rainbows and sparkles, Link was having a panic attack again. _Why did I do that? He could have lost, it would have been fine! He would have been ok! Stupid, stupid! _Why did he do that? And even though it was stupid, why wasn't he really mad at himself for it?

Why did he feel happy?

"A few more fighters are down already! Looks like three of our contestants have banded together, though, and look at them go!" Purlo cheered out for the crowd. One of said members of this newly formed team blocked the path of one poor man, as the other got him from behind and took him out. "Oooh, that looked like it hurt!"

_I have to get close to Zelda to help her! _Dark thought as he pushed past a few fighters. If those three got close to her, she was going to have a hard time taking them down without risking anything.

As Dark made his way through the maze of bodies, Link managed to take out another guy, but barely in time to dodge another attack. As Dark had thought, many of the contestants went after Link, in hopes to claim the champion title. Luckily, because they weren't working together and it was so chaotic, they had yet to succeed, but they were getting close. And with Link's elbow still hurting, he was still holding his sword in his right hand.

He ducked as another weapon went over his head. _Just in time… they are getting faster._ Or he was getting slower, he wasn't sure. He stepped back, sword up and ready for anything, when he saw Dark making his way over. _Crap, I don't want him too close! _Link thought, and rapidly looked for an escape route. Spying one, he raised his sword to block another attack, then spun around the man before he could recover. Now at the man's back, he rammed his right elbow into the base of his spine before taking off. As the man stumbled forward, the others around him took the chance to take him out.

Seeing the Graceful Mask run away from him, Dark frowned a bit. _Where is she going? We should work together to get out of this uninjured! _What in the world was she thinking? Growling, he went after her, wondering if he should call out to her or not.

By now, only a few people remained on the arena. The fight was not lasting long at all. Many of the weaker, less skilled contestants did not last, and many of the stronger fighters were taken out by those who paired or partnered up. But there were still enough to cause trouble, especially the trio that was smashing their way through the crowd.

And now they have the Graceful Mask in their sights.

Link found himself at the center of the arena, panting a little bit. He hasn't had to work this hard in a fight for a long, long time. He was going to wear out soon, he knew it. He tried to hide the fact that he was breathing hard, wishing he could wipe the sweat off his brow without removing his mask, when he heard, far too late, "Let's get 'em!" He turned to see the trio of madmen almost right on top of him.

Crap, he had been too wrapped up in his exhaustion that he hadn't seen them. _I can't stop them all! _He thought to himself, realizing this was the end. He wasn't going down without a fight, though, and he gripped his sword tightly, ready to swing at them in defense.

But he never got the chance to swing his sword as he felt a huge force ram into his side. He fell hard and away from the men, hearing his sword clatter away from him. Moaning, he pressed his hand into his side, glancing back towards the trio as they grinned from ear to ear, giving the man who had struck him a high five.

"THE GRACEFUL MASK IS DOWN! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, FOLKS, IS THE MASK FINALLY GOING TO BE DEFEATED?!" Purlo screamed, nearly jumping up and down where he stood.

Having seen the whole thing in horror, Dark went into full action. Seeing the men move towards Link again, Dark finally managed to catch up, and got between Link and them. No one… _No one _hurts the one he loves! _Damn it all! _Dark swore, sword up.

Purlo thought it was amazing. "What's this? It looks like Orland is protecting the Graceful Mask! The very person that defeated him last week! What a twist! And we are now down to our final six fighters, ladies and gentlemen! Orland, Mr. Locks, Luke, Sawato, and Smith, and of course the Graceful Mask!"

Luke, Sawato, and Smith made of the trio, and they grinned viciously at Dark. "Give it up boy," the one called Luke, standing in the center, said deeply. "Go home to your mommy, and let us handle the Graceful Mask."

Dark took a step back, but still held firm. "No way," he said with defiance. Link managed to sit up, staring up at Dark's back. _He's protecting me… _His heart did a little flutter, and he shook his head quickly. _Arg, that weird feeling again… Wait, where's my sword?! _he realized, as he glanced around for it. He saw it not too far off, but Mr. Locks had already started to move towards him.

Seeing he didn't have much time, Link rushed to his feet and sped to reclaim his sword before Mr. Locks overtook him. He could hear the footsteps behind him, and he knew he was closing in based on the frantic cheers and warnings from the audience. "He's coming, run!" a particular woman screamed at him. Link reached for his sword.

He had almost had it when he was suddenly lifted up by his collar. There was a collective gasp throughout the arena, and Link knew he had been caught. He had been so close, too. He heard the large man laugh as he turned Link to face him. "Caught you, little boy! Now, I'll be the new champion!"

His confidence costed him almost instantly. If he had just thrown Link, he would have won like he thought he was about to. Instead, he felt two fingers jam into his eyes as Link made one final attempt to escape. Roaring in pain, he released Link instantly, and Link managed to land on his feet. He scooped up his weapon and with one motion rammed his blade's hilt into the man's stomach. Mr. Locks doubled forward in pain, and Link brought the hilt down onto his head. Mr. Locks fell, and Link dashed away to safety.

The crowd was going nuts at this epic escape, but Link did not hear them. All he saw now was that Dark was in trouble. During that entire ordeal, Dark had been fending off the trio successfully, but barely. He was continuously stepping back to keep from being struck, but he was losing ground, and losing space to step away, being driven towards the ledge.

Dark was starting to seriously feel tired when suddenly Link was at his side, blocking an attack from Smith. Dark kicked at Luke, and gave Link a quickly look, wondering what the princess was doing. _She protected me again. _Seeing the look, Link gave Dark a quick nod. Link realized that for now, they needed to work together. If they could just take care of the rest of these men, then the two of them could face off properly, and then quickly get out of here.

Dark grinned as he realized the princess was going to help him. "Alright, let's do this!" he cried, stepping forward now on the offensive. Luke barely managed to block each of Dark's attacks, as Link blocked the other two men from taking down Dark.

As they started to drive the trio back, Dark started to feel thrill again. Now _this _was fun. This is what Dark lived for. Never mind if the princess's bruise vanished! Who cares about the man in the cloak? So what if he was leaving tomorrow? As he and Link began to finally get the upper hand again, Dark fell prey to his worst habit. It was like a drug. He had to fight, it was too much fun! Grinning, he swung again at Luke. He heard Link's sword sing as it made contact with Smith's sword, protecting them.

He moved faster and faster, determined to take down Luke now. Working together with the princess like this… it was perfect. They were a great team! There was no way they could lose now! With Dark's newfound speed, Luke was starting to struggle. He was good, but he didn't have the training Dark had. He blocked again and again, glancing at his partners for help. But they were too caught up with Link, trying desperately to take him out.

Determined to end this now, Dark suddenly dashed forward. Caught off guard, Luke tried to block him, but this time he failed. Dark punched him square in the face, abandoning the use of his sword in favor of direct contact. Luke felt something snap in his nose, and he stepped back, howling in pain. Blood dripped from his face, and he held a hand over his wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"It's over," Dark laughed. "Give it up, old man!"

Luke glared at the boy in front of him, hatred deep in his eyes. But he let out a small sigh, and held up his free hand. "I surrender… Please, just let me stop this bleeding."

"Of course, better get that looked at!" Dark chuckled. He laughed for a few seconds, until he heard Luke starting to chuckle too. He stopped, furrowing his eyebrows together. "What's so funny?"

"Do you always abandon your partner, kid?" Luke asked, and suddenly grinned evilly.

"Abandon? Wha…." And Dark suddenly felt the blood drain from his face as he heard the crowd and Purlo go wild.

From this moment on, everything felt in slow motion. It was like watching a terrible accident; you can't stop it, yet you can't stop watching it. Dark turned around to see that the two men had overtaken Link. Link, who was tired and injured, could no longer keep up. And now, he was being held up by the front of his shirt by Smith.

Dark had left him behind, and he hadn't realized it. He had suddenly needed to take down Luke. His drive for the fight had taken control. And now, he was about to pay for it. With his eyes wide in horror, he began to rush forward to stop Smith and Sawato from hurting Link. But he didn't get far as he felt two arms suddenly wrapped around him and lifted him up. He felt Luke's hot breath down his back, and warm blood drip onto his shoulder from Luke's nose.

"Uh-uh, can't let you do that now, boy," Luke laughed in his ear.

He struggled to free himself, with no success. "Let me go!" he roared, trying to kick Luke, But all he could do was watch as Smith prepared to throw Link off the arena. "NO!" The person he loved was about to lose, about to get hurt! And he just left her behind! How could he... what was wrong with him? Why did he just suddenly leave her alone to fight like that?

That was when Sawata suddenly grabbed Link's shoulders. "Hold on. Do ya think I'm just goin' to just let ya take the glory? I'm going to be the one to toss him!"

Smith did not like that at all. "What? No way, I'm the one who caught him!" Smith growled back, trying to pull Link away from Sawata. Link struggled to get away, but just like Dark, this time he couldn't break free.

"Not alone! Give him here!" Sawata demanded, pulling Link towards him again, hard.

**RIIIIP.**

The sound filled the entire arena, or so it seemed to Dark and Link. Sawata fell back, with Link landing on top of him, as Smith was just left with a large piece of green fabric in his hands. Smith stumbled back a little as well by the sudden change in balance, with a shocked look. Clearly, they had not been expecting that, so both of them were a little frozen for a moment.

But no one was as shocked as either Link…. Or Dark. Link moaned a bit, holding his head, when he realized that the entire area where his chest was covered was now exposed for the world to see. He blinked slowly, feeling a sudden rush of cold air against his skin. But he felt ice cold as he turned to glance over at Dark, realizing he could see everything.

And he could. Dark had seen the cloth rip, and had seen Smith and Link fall back. And now, he could see that there were no bandages to bind breasts, or an undershirt, or frankly any cleavage at all. Smooth, muscular…. And clearly a male's build.

Zelda was…. A boy?

A boy.

A man.

Male.

There was no way that the Princess of Hyrule was a boy. That was ridiculous. This person was not the Princess of Hyrule. And Dark suddenly realized that everything had been a lie. Where was the person he fell for?

Link felt his entire world crash around him as Dark's mouth opened to speak. "Who…. Are…."

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><p><strong>Thank you for all those who have favoritedfollowed, or reviewed. Knowing that even a few people enjoy the story motivates me to write. **

**Below are more biographies. **

**Next Chapter- Chapter 15: The Truth Is All in the Eyes of the Beholder**

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><p><em>Groose <em>(16)- a strong, yet overly confident knight with ridiculous hair and an even more so ridiculous personality. He may have passed the Knight's Test already, but very few people have confidence in him at all. He believes that he is fated to marry the princess, and often tries to woo Link (believing him to be the princess). His two lackies, Cawlin and Strich, are his childhood friends, and all three of them are terrified of Ashei. He secretly loves to build and create things.

_King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule _(37)- The King of Hyrule himself. He was once a kind king who was determined to end the feud between his people and the Gerudo, but after the assassination of his brother, he changed dramatically. Fearing for his own daughter's safety, he forced Link to play her double, and ordered all the Sheikah to search for the murder(ers) and to not return until they were found. The Gerudo and Hyrule have been on the brink of war since then.

_The King's Advisor, Norland _(50s? Frankly, no one seems to know, or care)- The King's personal advisor who is rarely mentioned by name, but holds a lot of power in the castle. He seems to care little for foreign affairs, and barely anyone in the castle likes him except for Victoria and the King. And as far as anyone knows, he diet seems to be air, as some maids say.

_General Daxton _(46)- The current general of the Hylian Army, and a very dangerous man who is disgusted with foreigners. He holds little faith in the Sheikah and despises the Gerudo, fully supporting his king's mission. Out of everyone he has met so far, Dark dislikes him the most.

_Marin _(18)- a beautiful, red-haired maiden who works at the TamaRanch Inn. She loves to sing and dreams of flying, but while her head may be in the clouds, she works hard at her job. Frankly, maybe too hard, because her strength has strangely become almost unthinkable. She is the first person in Hyrule who has not hated or thought little of Dark after meeting him right away. Her father is Tarin, and apparently she has more family elsewhere.

_Fledge _(15)- an extremely friendly boy with a baby face training to be a knight, who is often picked on by Groose. He is far behind his peers because of his lack of self-esteem, and therefore has been placed directly under Ashei's care. He doesn't seem to be knight material, but that doesn't seem to stop him. He's a lot stronger than he thinks he is. Thanks to an extremely stupid mix-up, Groose now believes he and Dark will become an item. He is easily impressed.


	15. The Truth

**Beautiful Blades**

Chapter 15: The Truth Is All in the Eyes of the Beholder

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><p>The truth is only what you perceive. Everyone claims the truth is something different. Some say it's the reality of the situation. Others may claim it's how it should be properly viewed. But what you know is your truth. Earlier that day, Dark knew that the Princess Zelda was a woman. He knew that Zelda was keeping her dueling a secret because she wasn't allowed to do so. And he knew that he loved her deeply, because in his eyes she was the most exceptional woman he had ever met.<p>

That was _his_ truth.

Now, he didn't know what to believe. Just moments ago, he had been in love with a woman. Now, he was heartbroken by the hands of a man.

Perhaps, though, it wasn't that he was heartbroken. He didn't know yet. Thoughts were flashing too quickly in his head for him to interpret them fast enough. Emotions ran through his body like a wildfire; he didn't know where the origin was, but it engulfed him entirely. But mostly, he recognized that he felt four feelings: shock, horror, sadness, and finally… rage. How on earth did a _male _get away with pretending to be the princess?!

But none of that compared to what Link was feeling. He watched as Dark's face twisted with each of these emotions, and Link's heart felt like it was going to split. He had let someone into his life, his private life, and now it seemed that he was about to pay the price. And it hurt. But it was much more than that too. It was terrifying. A foreigner, with direct access to the Labrynna Royal Family, knew his true secret now. There was no way around it. Dark knew too much for him to be able to cover it up. And he was leaving tomorrow, bright and early. Link could not stop this now.

All in one moment, Link felt that he lost everything: a friend who trusted him, his vulnerable secret, and his life. There was no way that the Personal Guard of the Labrynna Royal Family wasn't going to talk about this. Everything was over.

Instinct kicked in instantly.

Still on his back, and on top of Sawata, he rammed his elbow deep into the man's stomach. Sawata let out a huge gasp of pain and let go. Link jumped up onto his feet. Adrenaline coursed through his body; he no longer felt the exhaustion from the fight. Smith, seeing the champion up on his feet again, rushed at him, but Link was no longer interested in the fight. It didn't matter anymore. He ducked under the large man's arms, and away from the chaos. With one graceful motion, Link was off the arena and running away towards the back room.

Seeing him run, Dark too sprang into action. He was still in shock and extreme disbelief, but one thing was clear now; that boy was not who he claimed to be. He was impersonating royalty, and that was an offense. Dark, as a member of a royal guard, could not just let him dash off.

Seeing that the man that was holding him was still distracted with what happened, Dark took his chance. He swung his head back and smashed the back of his head right into the man's face. He let go, howling, and Dark dropped onto his feet. He scooped up his sword and began to chase down Link.

"What is this, folks?! It looks like the Graceful Mask has left the fight! Unbelievable! And Orland is going after him!" Purlo announced with his own disbelief and confusion. Everyone watched as Dark jumped off the fighting platform and ran into the back room.

Dark knocked practically kicked the door open, causing the contestants who had lost and recovering to nearly jump out of their skin. Dark glanced around with rapid turns of his head, but he did not see the liar anywhere. Having no patience to guess on where he went, Dark grabbed a man near him, pointing his sword near his throat.

"The Graceful Mask. Where did he go?"

The man didn't answer right away, too shocked at what was happening. Impatient, Dark pressed the blade closer. "WHERE?! I saw him come in here!"

Another man who had lost the fight stood from the table he had been sitting at. "Calm down, kid. He ran that way," he said, pointing towards a surprising well-hidden door in the back of the room. There was another secret entrance.

But he didn't think hard about that at all. He let go of the man's shirt and pushed past the people to follow the boy who had lied to him. He pulled open the door to see a dark, creepy corridor that was clearly ancient. Gooey, green slime dripped from the ceiling, and oozed down the cracks in the walls. A faint, musky odor hit Dark's nose. But he didn't care. He snatched a lantern from the hall and proceeded to sprint into the darkness without a second thought.

As he chased Link down, many thoughts ran through Dark's head again. He had trusted this person. This person had let him in about the fighting. They laughed together. Dark risked being made fun of and ridiculed to help this person. And he turned out to be a fraud.

Even worse, Dark had loved this person. Everything had been a lie. Dark didn't know what to think anymore.

After what felt like forever, Dark saw some light at the end of the tunnel. Not long after this, he pushed past the brush that covered the small entrance way, and found himself outside the city walls, not far from where Link and himself had dueled for a second time.

He glanced around and spotted Link. Link, believing he had gotten away, had paused to take a breather. He was leaning against a tree, panting and shaking with fear. He probably shouldn't have run. He should have taken Dark out when he had the chance, to protect his secret. Maybe then, his life, his future would be safe.

Link heard the rustling of leaves behind him, and glanced to see Dark standing there, sword up, and very very angry. Link sucked his breath in with surprise, before taking off running again.

_Oh, I don't think so, _Dark thought to himself, as he put the lantern down and went after him. "STOP! IN THE NAME OF THE ROYAL GUARD, I COMMAND YOU TO STOP!"

Of course, Link didn't stop. He didn't really have anywhere to run, though. It was all open field. If he went too far, he couldn't come home in time to not be found missing. He couldn't hide without being found. It felt useless, but Link ran anyways. He had left his sword behind, too; he couldn't even fight.

Link may have kept running, but Dark was faster. It wasn't long before Link was overtaken and tackled to the ground. They struggled, as Dark casted aside his blade to pin Link to the ground. Even though he felt betrayed, and shock was still controlling him, he still couldn't find it in himself to hurt Link. Dark tried to grab Link's wrists, as Link tried anything and everything to throw the young man off of him. Dark managed to rip Link's mask, off, and in the process Link's wig fell off, and his long hair fell around his head. Seeing the hair made Dark pause. For a second, he thought of the princess he fell for.

And Link took the chance to punch him in the face.

As Dark reeled back, Link attempted to slide out from under him. Feeling the blonde boy begin to slip away from him, Dark recovered quickly and managed to catch Link's wrist, pinning it down. No longer feeling patience, Dark snatched his blade back up with his other hand, and pressed it against Link's neck. Feeling the cool metal against his skin, Link froze, realizing he had lost.

It was over.

Both of them panted as they stared at each other. Dark regarded the captured fake princess, carefully looking him over. There was no doubt about it. This person was the person from the castle. The one Dark jumped into a fountain with. The one who called his eyes a wonder.

It hurt. All Dark knew what to do now was to do his job: protect the Princess of Hyrule. It wasn't this person.

"I don't know who you are, boy, but you are under arrest for impersonating Princess Zelda… Somehow." He tried to hide his pain for having to do this. He wanted so hard to believe that this was a lie. He wanted the person he loved to be who he thought they were. It was amazing that this boy got away with this.

Link's heart pounded in his chest, so wildly out of control that it hurt. What could he do? What could he say? He was found out. The King told him to never, ever let someone find out. Ever. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say his life was probably over.

If only Dark could have left the country without ever knowing. Then, Link could have carried on with his life. Sure, maybe he would have missed him… But….

"Who are you?" Dark asked rashly, pressing the blade harder against Link's neck. "Tell me what's going on!"

Taking in a sharp breath, Link tried to calm himself. Could he tell him? No… He had to protect Zelda. Even if this boy protected him, and kept his secret, and was his friend, there was no way he wouldn't keep his mouth shut now.

When he didn't say anything, Dark took his blade and slammed it into the ground right next to Link's ear. Link could feel a rush of air by it, but he didn't flinch.

"Tell me, or I call for a guard now," Dark growled.

"Do it, I'm dead no matter what I say or do now," Link said softly but with dignity. Every option he had was a bad one. The only option he had was to kill Dark, and he couldn't bring himself to do that. Nor was he in a position to. _I'm sorry, Zelda, I failed you. _

But to Link's surprise, that caught Dark's attention. "What do you mean?" he asked, glancing him up and down.

"You found me out, so my life is over. So you can kill me," Link told him. He was terrified, but his face didn't show it.

Dark's grip on his blade loosened a little. Hearing that still saddened him, for some reason. He was hurt by all of this, but…. Only a while ago he had loved this person. It was hard to shake those feelings off. Hearing the person he loved say that struck him.

"…I…." Dark loved to fight, but he had never killed anyone before. Could he actually hurt this person to that extent? Shaking his head, he leaned in closer, eye to eye with Link. "I won't kill you. But the whole world will have to know what you did. You will be marked a criminal."

He watched as Link paled dramatically. If the world knew… Zelda may be condemned, or in trouble. "Wait, hold on! You can't, you can do whatever you want to me, but do not drag Zelda into this!"

Zelda? The real one? Wait a minute… Dark pressed the blade against Link's neck again. "The real Zelda? Don't tell me… I met her at the negotiations, did I? That's why she didn't have a bruise on her left elbow!"

"You… noticed?" Crap, she must have worn a short sleeved dress. Link let out a small sigh, and nodded. "Yes, that's the real Zelda. She's… important to me. If you tell everyone about me, the whole world may turn on her, and I won't be able to protect her anymore!"

"Anymore?" When Link pressed his lips together to prevent himself from saying any more, Dark growled angrily. "What do you mean?"

Realizing, though, that Link wasn't going to say anything, Dark got an idea. "Fine. Tell you what." Dark had to know. His heart ached too much; he had to know why this boy lied to him. And why the whole castle seemed in on it. "Tell me why you pretended to be the princess. If I like what I hear, I won't tell anyone outside of the castle. Deal?"

Link looked back at the castle. Was this a good idea? Dark kept his deals before, and this seemed to be the best way out. Finally, after much consideration, Link gave a tiny nod. "Fine. Let me up. I'll tell you."

* * *

><p>Sitting on the grass of the open field, Link stared towards the dirt. He didn't really know where to start. His fingers wrapped themselves carefully around the soft greenery, plucking up the individual blades one by one as he searched for a starting point.<p>

Dark himself was curious and impatient, but also scared. Scared of what he would hear. He was still deeply upset, but his previous feelings still lurked under that. Was it this person that he really loved? Or did he love the real princess?

Arg, it was so confusing! Maybe he should ask him who he spent more time with.

Finally, Link opened his mouth to speak, while Dark began to ask him a question.

"I was assigned-"

"Was it you-"

They both stopped short when they realized that they had started to speak at the same time. Both flushed a bit red, but Dark gave a small wave of his hand for Link to continue. "Sorry, go ahead. Can you start with your name, then?"

Link gave a small nod. "My real name is Link."

"Link?"

He nodded, and continued. "I was a double for the princess for her protection. By order of the king."

When faced with this situation, there are many things one would expect to hear. Perhaps he was hired to assassinate someone, for example, or was trying to steal the royal crowns. This was NOT what Dark had expected to hear at all. He held his hand up in disbelief. "Hold on one second. You are telling me that the King of Hyrule himself commanded you to pretend to be his daughter?"

Link nodded again, and Dark's mouth dropped open, baffled. "That's ridiculous! You are a boy!"

"Yes, but a boy who has looked uncannily like the Princess of Hyrule for nearly ten years. Even though each year it gets harder and harder. I have to hold my neck a certain way just to hide my Adam's Apple." Link gave a small sigh at this.

"… You've been doing this for ten years?" Dark asked softly.

"Yes."

And suddenly, all of Dark's anger melted away. He still hurt, but suddenly, he wasn't looking at a traitor. He was looking at a victim. "But that's… crazy. And to think the whole castle knows and lets this happen…"

Link let out a small laugh at that. "Knows? Only three people alive know! The King, Zelda, and Pipit." Why was Link telling him all this? This was too much information that the deal required. He needed to shut his trap.

But…

It felt so good to get it off his chest. To tell someone else, to _talk _about his ten year nightmare. He loved Zelda, but it wasn't the same talking to her. To confide in another felt…. Freeing. It felt like someone was taking a weight off his shoulders, even if his life was over anyways.

And suddenly, Link began to spill everything. The times he had to cut himself because Zelda scrapped her knee and he had to copy her. Or the training he had to go through to seem as feminine as possible, for it to be believable.

Dark was amazed by all of this. He listened carefully, his feelings calming down more and more, and morphing into something else; he just didn't know what yet. And none of it seemed real. Link as Princess Zelda. The chances of this crazy plan working was almost zero. There were too many variables, too many things that could have gone wrong. Yet after ten years, Link still managed to pull of this acting stunt.

After some time, Dark finally asked another question. "I heard about that fire that happened ten years ago… on the same night the prince was murdered… That was your parents that died?"

Link nodded. "So then… that child's body they found, that wasn't you?" Link shook his head.

"That was a friend of mine." He looked at his feet. "My parents had invited him over for my birthday party. I… try every day to remember him and my parents as much as I can. I can barely remember my mother's face now, though." He gave a half-smile. "My father I remember the most. He was clean-shaven, and blonde like me. He didn't have blue eyes, though. He had green ones."

Dark looked down as Link continued, "My friend… I don't remember his name, or his face. I just remember that he was a Sheikah." Link's hand gripped into a fist. "That should have been me in that fire."

Unsure what to say, Dark just shook his head a bit. This all sounded so fake, but the way Link was talking, Dark knew he wasn't lying. If anything, it made sense of everything. All those strange things that Dark had noticed, the behaviors and the sneaking around. Sneaking around…

"So, how did you end up… in that arena?" Dark asked, curious.

"Oh. Well, when I first went to live at the castle, I had a tutor. He died about eight years ago, so I only knew him for about two years. He taught me everything. He was the only other person that was allowed to know about me." Link hadn't thought about his tutor in a while. He chuckled. "He felt bad for me, and noticed that I was pretty good with a sword at such a young age. So, he introduced me to the arena." Link reached for his mask and held it in his hands. "This mask was my father's. It was the only thing that survived the fire. My tutor snuck it to me."

He held the mask closer to his chest. "But now everything is over. No one was supposed to know I existed. When you first fought me, I thought you found out I was a boy, and I thought it was over."

Ah. So, maybe that's why Link had been sending him death threats for the first few days they properly knew each other. Thinking back, now it seemed funny. Before, Dark had thought he had knew Ze….Link's true secret. Oh, how wrong he had been.

Suddenly, it occurred to Link about something. He looked at Dark. "… How _did _you know who I sort of was at the arena?"

Oh… right. Dark coughed a bit, then looked away. He fidgeted, then let out a sigh. "Well, I had snuck into a fight before and saw you. Then, at the birthday party, when I had been staring at you… that's when I made the connection. Because you moved the same."

"Moved the same?"

"Yeah. Gracefully. In control. It was… beautiful." He blushed a little as he said this. Luckily, it was pretty dark, so Link probably didn't notice.

Link himself felt his face burn at those words, and he cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment. "Well… that was pretty amazing…. You ruined my life, of course, but amazing."

"Sorry…" Dark laughed a little, rubbing the back of his neck. His heart skipped a beat. This person… was still the person he had fallen for. He had not been anyone else. He had used a different name, and wore feminine clothing, but the person Dark loved wasn't gone at all. He was real. He was just not a she.

Wait, that's right! Link was a boy! There was no way Dark could love a boy. Impossible. He had fallen for girl Link, not boy Link. He mentally slapped himself as Link tossed his mask to the side and pulled his knees to his chest.

"Well, that's everything. And now it's over."

Dark paused. "W-well… wait, it's not over."

"Of course it is. I kept my end of the deal. I told you everything. I know you have your duty, so…. Please don't tell anyone besides the people at the castle." Link closed his eyes. "My life is forfeit now." He had mentioned to Dark what his fate was if anyone found out about his true self.

But… that was said before Dark knew that Link was literally forced to play princess 24-7. And hearing that… That Link's life was in danger if he told… That didn't seem right. How could he risk it?

It was insane to think the king would go so far. Who would force a young boy to be a girl for nearly ten years, and threaten to kill him if anyone found out. Damn, if only someone could actually stand up to him. But if Dark did…. It wouldn't end well at all.

He looked up at the sky for a moment, thinking. Letting out an aggravated sigh, he gave a shrug.

"Sorry, I can't keep my deal."

Link froze. "What?" What did he say? Dark lied? _He tricked me! He…. Bastard! _"You promised! You said-"

"Guess I can't tell anyone," Dark finished, giving another shrug.

For a moment, Link didn't register what Dark had said. He sat there, frozen again, trying to translate the words that had been said to him in his head. As he realized what Dark was saying, his eyes went wide. "W… what?"

"I don't do well with keeping promises, sorry." Dark gave Link a cocky grin. He may still be confused, and a bit upset about all of this, but he wasn't a monster. "So I'm going to have to break it. I just won't tell anyone."

Before Link could say anything, though, Dark gave him an intense stare. "But see here, doesn't mean I'm still happy about it. I understand why you did it, but I'm still hurt. I lo- I mean, we were friends." Shit, he had almost spilled about his feelings. "I'm going to need a bit of time to sort out all this craziness."

Link gave a rapid nod. "Of course, I understand. I…." He didn't know what to say. What could he say to express his feelings? He wasn't just relieved. He almost felt reborn. He felt safe, as if for the first time, someone could actually protect him. And someone was. Someone was going to lie for him, to protect him and Zelda from the cruelty of the world.

He gave a large smile. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I can't… I can't begin to even express how relieved and happy I am."

Dark gave a shrug. "It's nothing. Besides, I'm leaving tomorrow, so I won't be bothering you anymore."

But Link wasn't listening anymore. With the adrenaline finally out of his system, and the relief finally settling in his heart, he rolled into the grass, his head by Dark's legs.

"Whoa, are you ok?!" Dark asked, worried, but Link just smiled as his eyes closed.

"Best I've felt in a long time…." He mumbled. As he laid there by Dark's legs, his heart skipped a beat again. And again. There was that feeling again. What was it? What was he feeling? Why did he feel so safe and happy around this person?

As the two of them stayed as they were quietly, Link suddenly realized what he was feeling.

Love.

He loved Dark. That's what it had to be. He had often heard the maids talking about their romances, and the feelings they had with their special someone. And Link's feelings matched theirs.

This person… this cocky, annoying, intrusive, crazy person… Link loved him. He had many faults, but he was kind at the core, and Link knew that now.

Link opened his eyes a little as he thought about this. He never imagined he would fall for another male like this. It surprised him greatly. He didn't even know it was possible, but there was no mistaking this feeling now. The more he thought about it, the more he knew what it was.

But it couldn't go anywhere. This boy was kind, but there was no way he loved him. It would be ridiculous to think that. Besides, he was leaving tomorrow. They would probably never see each other again.

So he just laid there, enjoying the feeling of the soft grass and the sweet smell of dew, and hearing Dark breath gently near him, underneath the star-light sky.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you will be alright?" Dark asked as they neared the inn where he was staying at. After spending some time in silence in the field, they two of them finally gathered their things and returned home.<p>

Link nodded. "Yeah. I've done this a thousand times." He gave Dark a quick smile. "Just need to change this tunic… Hopefully I can find a new one." He turned to go, but stopped. After standing there a second, he suddenly turned around and gave Dark a huge hug. "Thank you for everything. I'm going to miss you."

Dark stiffened at the hug, surprised, but he eventually relaxed, and shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Yeah, well, we will see each other around."

Link could only hope that was true. After another quick wave, he vanished into the darkness of the night. He was taking a big risk to trust Dark, but it felt right.

After waving Link off, Dark wandered back to the inn, but he paused right outside the door. He looked down at the base of the doorway, before punching the stone wall suddenly in a sudden burst of emotions.

_Shit. _Dark thought to himself. _This is so messed up. _It was all so messed up. A boy pretending to be a princess. And Dark still having feelings for that boy. And it occurred to Dark that Link probably didn't have that much time left at this gig. It was amazing at how long puberty held off for Link but it won't be long until his body really starts to change, to the point that trying to disguise it will be impossible. What will happen then? Will the king let him go? Or...

He didn't want to think about that. He didn't want to go. He didn't want to leave Hyrule after everything now. How could he leave knowing all of this? Knowing that the person he still loved was suffering? Why did he have to be from Labrynna? Why did he have to be loyal to his prince?

His prince. Dark slowly pulled his fist from the wall as he sighed. How could he have forgotten about his prince? His prince, who was sick and miserable, all alone… Dark covered his eyes with his hand. "… What happened to you, Dark?" he asked himself.

After a few more moments outside, he carefully opened the wooden door, and slipped back into the inn for the rest of the night.

* * *

><p>Groose sat up suddenly from his bed in the barracks, letting out a sudden gasp of realization. "That Dark boy! It was him who knocked me down in the city that night!" he exclaimed loudly and angrily.<p>

Cawlin and Strich, hearing their leader suddenly shot up in bed, nearly fell out of their own beds in surprise at the sudden noise. Strich sat there dazed, as Cawlin looked up over the edge of his bed from the floor at Groose. "What is it, boss? What's going on?"

Throwing his covers off his body, Groose jumped out of bed and crawled over to his lackeys, being quiet as to make sure he didn't wake anyone else, especially Ashei. "Remember the night we returned, and someone knocked me down?" His two friends nodded. "I remember seeing red eyes, and now I remember even more. That boy Dark, the one who loves Fledge," still remembering that wrong. "It was him. I can't believe I didn't realize it before!"

"Ok, so?" Strich said, rubbing his eyes. "He knocked you down, so what?"

"Well first, no one knocks down the great Groose and get away with it. And two…" Groose had a serious expression on his face, a rare and mysterious expression for Groose. It didn't fit; like someone tried to program Groose with a serious expression and messed up. "Why was he wandering that area at night? Everyone knows that place is teeming with criminal activity. There are even rumors about illegal fights someone in there."

His friends looked at each other, seeing what Groose meant. "So, then… he's a criminal?"

Groose stroked his chin as he thought out loud to himself. "Perhaps… I think some investigating on this Dark fellow is needed. Something fishy is going on, I can feel it."

Cawlin leaned in to whisper to Strich. "I thought fishy was a smell."

Strich simply gave a shrug. As far as he knew, all he wanted was to get back to sleep. This could wait till the morning, if you asked him.

* * *

><p><strong>Sorry for the sort of rushed-like chapter, but I hoped you enjoyed!<strong>

**You may be surprised to see the next chapter so quickly. Well, I had a lot of free time the past few days, and I just couldn't wait to write this chapter. Plus, I felt bad about that last cliffhanger. **

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed! As always, I appreciate it! And thank you to those who favorited/ followed. Love you all!**

**Next Chapter- Chapter 16: A New Mission and the Bizarre Situation of Love **


	16. Bizarre Situation of Love

**Beautiful Blades**

Chapter 16: A New Mission and the Bizarre Situation of Love

* * *

><p>Dark knocked on the wooden door to Link's room, and listened to the echo vibrate down the long, dark corridor. He glanced down into the stone hallway with a curious, uncomfortable expression, but he didn't see anyone. It was so unusually quiet.<p>

After a moment of silence, Dark heard Link's voice call out from behind the door. It sounded feminine and, to Dark, rather alluring. "Hello? Who is it?"

He cleared his throat and stood a bit higher. "It's Dark. I've come to declare my love."

Another moment of silence. Dark blinked, waiting, until the door suddenly swung open, and a tall, buff, _male _Link stood there, grinning. "What? You love a man?" he asked in a deep, gravelly voice. Dark froze in shock, eyes wide in disbelief and horror. "Too bad you didn't confess to me when I was a girl," Link continued, as he seemed to grow and grow in size. Or maybe Dark was shrinking, as even the doorway enlarged to epic proportions. The young guard felt himself pale as he stared up at the giant beast, who picked him up by his tunic and held up him at eye level.

"Surprise," Link said with a grin. "If you love me so much, then I wouldn't mind taking you on as my wife… dear." And he began to laugh.

And laugh, and laugh, and laugh.

Until Dark woke up in cold sweat on his bed at the inn. He threw his covers off his chest and sat up, panting from the nightmare, his heart racing at dangerous speeds. He gripped his chest and took soothing breaths to calm himself, realizing that it had just been a dream as he looked out the glass window. He watched as the light from the beginning sunrise began to shine throw the warped glass, throwing different colors onto the ceiling and the floor in a welcoming, gentle manner. The sound of horses going down the cobblestone street seemed distant but clear, and birds were starting to sing. Seeing the light made the day feel fresh, and Dark felt the fear subside and his heart slow to normal.

He let loose a quiet sigh and glanced over at the other bed, but he didn't see Orland there anymore. He had been snoring up a storm when Dark had snuck back into bed last night, but today it seemed that Orland had rose even before the cuccos did. Probably getting ready for the long journey home.

With his blanket still half-way on him, Dark leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his legs, resting his head on the top of his knees. That dream had really freaked it him. In fact, after dwelling on everything that happened last night and on all that he learned, he felt even more freaked out. That boy… Link, was it… was pretending to be Zelda. And not just for a short time, for nearly ten years. That seemed impossible to Dark, something out of a story. Dramatic irony Dark wouldn't be able to grasp.

Everything had happened so fast yesterday that Dark didn't have much time to freak out. He had many emotions, sure, but so much information was dumped yesterday that he now that he had time to dwell on it, everything seemed so overwhelming. The person Dark fell in love with was not the Princess of Hyrule. In fact, Link wasn't even a woman. Dark wasn't sure yet on how he felt about this. He understood the boy's situation, but… Understanding and accepting his own feelings are two different things.

Dark had always at least thought he loved women. He and the prince would often look at the pretty maids or guests who would walk by.

Wait… Dark lifted his head a little as he thought about the prince. He thought long and hard about how the prince looked, his behaviors, the way he spoke… did any of those… attract Dark to him? Orland always made fun of Dark on how loyal he was to the prince. Was it loyalty?

Ha, loyalty. One pretty girl…. Boy, Dark reminded himself…. Comes into his life and Dark nearly forgot about his 'suffering' here in Hyrule. He had come in wishing he could just leave right away, and now he's preparing to leave wishing he could just stay a bit longer. How could he just leave knowing what he knew now? There was probably nothing he could do. He caused so much trouble around here already, and yet… it didn't sit right with him. His curiosity, his need for answers was too great.

But his prince probably needed him back now. It has been a long time. The prince has very few people around him his age, and Dark is supposed to be with him until the very end of their days. That was part of his job. Labrynna chose the child with the highest potential to be the personal guard of the next heir to the throne of the same age, so together they can grow and learn, and so that the heir can have the one person they can trust in their lives.

Some personal guard Dark was, forgetting about the prince, and falling head over heels for a gir…. Boy.

Dark's fingers gripped into the blanket hard. The prince was attracted, sure, but Dark didn't feel that he loved him in that way. Regardless, though, it was time for him to forget everything that happened here. For his sake, for his prince's sake… and for Link's sake. He didn't know how long Link could keep up this charade, but Dark knew he didn't have long. Nature's way will take care of that. Even though Dark's heart still hurt from the lies, he still hoped that Link would make it out of this chaos ok.

After some time, Dark crawled out of bed and reached for his cloak, his hand searching slowly down the wooden frame of the bed. After not feeling it after a minute, he looked to see where he left it. He peered under the bed and checked in the sheets. He then proceeded to face palm himself as he realized that he had left it at the arena last night. Damn it. That was his favorite cloak, too. Luckily, it was a bland, boring cloak, so no one was going to recognize it or anything.

Still, better then having his tunic torn in the front. At the thought, he suddenly covered his mouth to snicker, when Orland burst into the room. "What are you laughing about, boy, it's barely dawn! There can't be anything that funny in the morning!"

Instantly, Dark stopped. "Nothing, sir. Just… um, thinking about the prince's reaction when I get home."

"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you about that," Orland said with a stretch, the sound of a cracking back filled the air. He sniffed and rubbed his nose, then began to back his bag as Dark stood there, waiting for more. When nothing more was said, Dark started to feel impatient and worried.

What? Were they going somewhere else? Did the carriage break? Wait… did the prince die from his illness? It wasn't terrible, but…. Did it get worse?! "What?! What is it?" Dark asked, starting to quickly feel panic.

"What?" Orland asked, then realized he hadn't finished his thought. "Oh, right. Pack your bag, you are moving to a single room, and get ready to go to the castle. I made an arrangement for you to train while you stay here."

Orland continued to pack, counting his things slowly as Dark just stood there in the same exact position. What did the old man say? Train? While he was here? Did he hear that right?

"Um… Sir, can you clarify? What do you mean, train while I stay here? Single room?" Dark asked slowly and calmly.

"What? Didn't I tell you that you are staying here till the party is over? I did, right?" Orland asked, looking confident that he did. He shifted his belt a bit, his mind more on what he ate last night and less on the life-changing information he was giving Dark.

"What?!" Dark exclaimed, having not known this at all.

"Oh. Well, lad, you are staying here until the party is over. All sorts of royals and such are invited. Now, I'm sure the prince won't make it this year, so you will be representing the Labrynna Royal Family this year. I myself need to see to the supplies from the agreements make it back, so I can't stay. And until the party, you will be training with the knights and soldiers. The king's done with your personal guarding." With that said, he gave Dark a fierce stare. "This is an important job, boy. Mess it up, and I'll personally see to it that you are replaced. You won't be the first in history, let me tell you that right now."

Orland grabbed the now packed bag from his bed and hoisted over his shoulder. "Hurry up, they probably want to clean this room." And with that, he waddled out of the room, leaving Dark there dumbfounded that the sheer, epic volume of life altering information he had just received. After standing there with thoughts racing through his mind for a moment, Dark found movement in his limbs again and ran to the door.

"Wait! I don't have my formal gear for a party!" Dark called down the hallway, not really sure why that was the next thing he chose to say.

"Quiet, boy, folks are sleeping. And I already arranged for a fitting. Miss Victoria is working out the details, and it's all paid for. Now get packing, and ask Miss Marin where your new room is!" Orland ordered before disappearing out of sight down the stairs.

Still dumbfounded, Dark wandered back into the room. He stood there, looking at the bed for a few minutes, before dramatically gripping his hair. _Are you kidding me?! _And just after his pep talk to himself about loyalty? And after the hoops he jumped through to be with Zelda… Link, a bit longer because he thought he was leaving today?!

That was it, it was official. The gods had it out for him. He was their punchline, he was sure of it now.

He heard a knock behind him, and a tiny giggle. He snapped around to see Marin standing there, with her bright red hair pulled back underneath a bandana. She had her hand over her mouth the moment she realized he had heard her giggle.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she said, but still giving a happy smile. "I didn't mean to laugh. I just came to check if you needed anything. I understand you are staying longer, until the festival. Would you like me to carry your things to your new room?"

Dark stared intensely at her for a moment. Here was a woman. A pretty, cute, and intelligent woman… with the strength of a bear. Why didn't he fall for her? What was so special about that boy?

And in fact, if he met the real Zelda and hadn't known…. Would he had loved her too?! _This is too confusing! _Dark mentally screamed, unaware that he was still staring at Marin. Marin turned a shade of red and waved her arms frantically in front of her.

"Well…. Right, I'm sorry, I'll just prepare your breakfast! Fruit and water, right? Your new room is down the hall on your last left…. Sorry!" she squeaked, and scurried out of there.

"Wait… what?" he asked to no one in particular, having not exactly heard everything she had said. He raised an arm up as if to stop her, but he didn't move.

It wasn't long before, in a daze, he soon found himself downstairs, with his stuff moved to the new room and eating breakfast with Orland. He munched on a peach, glancing around. It seemed a lot more customers were here today, though that wasn't too surprising. The festival was around the corner. It seemed like the city was going to be really fun, but Dark was going to be stuck in a stuffy outfit in a stuffy castle, surrounded by the most powerful people in the world. That didn't sound too fun for him.

And he still couldn't believe it. He was to stay here longer? What were the odds of this? He stared down into the cup, thinking about all of this. It seemed like at this rate, he was never going to leave the city. It felt like the TamaRanch Inn and Hyrule Castle were becoming his new home.

Wait, though. If he was staying here, then he can maybe find out more about Link's strange arrangement. Dark realized that no matter how much he may wanted to forget about this, there was no way this could happen. His curiosity and lust for knowledge was too great. He had to know more about all of this, about Link and maybe even about the real Princess Zelda. How many times did he meet the real one? Why does only Pipit know about them? So many questions, and the only one willing to pass this on would be Link.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a body slide right next to his, and a slender, elegant arm gently rested across his shoulders. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed the approaching person, so he felt his skin tense as he looked towards them, only to see the beautiful Miss Victoria smiling at him.

"Darling, good morning! Did you sleep well last night?" she asked with a large, entertained smile. Her eyes glanced down at his chin. "That peach must really be juicy, darling, here," she cooed, reaching for a napkin and wiping his chin for him. Suddenly feeling really uncomfortable, he slid away from her, bright red.

"Miss Victoria!" Orland said first, slicking back whatever hair he had left. "A pleasant morning to you!"

She batted her eyelashes and gave Orland a smile. "And to you, Sir Orland." When Orland turned to order her a drink, Victoria gave Dark a wink, before leaning on her hands over the table. Dark turned another shade of red, but it sort of felt good, in a way, to be teasing with someone like this. "Such a shame you have to leave our fine city, Sir Orland, we simply loved having you. While the King and Lord Norland cannot see you off, they send their regrets, farewells, and thank yous."

"Oh, it's not a problem at all, Miss Victoria, not at all!" Orland chuckled, being won over by a pretty lady. Dark rolled his eyes, then wondered who Lord Norland when he saw Ashei standing off to the side, surveying the crowd with absolutely no expression at all. It was almost a gift on how expressionless she could appear, really. Dark wondered if he should invite her over, but, well… she kind of made him nervous.

He glanced down at her unusual metal armor around her hand, then glanced back up to see her staring at him. Realizing he had been caught, he whipped back around to face the table again, in time for Victoria to pat his arm. "Now, finish your breakfast. Ashei has a lot of training planned for you, so we must get back to the castle! Say your good-byes, and meet us out in front!" Before standing up, she leaned in a bit closer to whisper. "I believe the princess may be joining us again today. Wouldn't that be fun?"

Dark was red again, and wondered just how much this woman knew. She seemed to at least figure out his affections, if anything. Victoria thanked Orland for the water, and indicated for Ashei to follow her. Together, they left the building to wait out in front. Sighing, Orland paid the bill and yawned. "Well, lad, I best start on my journey. I have a lot of official business to take care of. And you have stuff to do." He gave Dark a light punch in the shoulder. "Don't slack off."

And with maximum affection reached between the two, that was the way they said their good-byes.

* * *

><p>Now back at the castle, Dark sat in the training area, inspecting his weapon and wiping it down. After last night's rough fight, the sword had gotten a few new scratches and chips. It was a very old blade, and not really meant to be stabbed into stone. Even if Dark was still confused with everything that had happened, he decided it was no excuse to be lazy, yet also try to be as casual about the chaos as possible. He would prove to Orland that he was a capable personal guard.<p>

There was a huge hustle around him. It was another training day, so many of the soldiers and knights who had not been deployed were busy preparing again for training. Dark watched them out of the corner of his eye. It was amazing. Hundreds of people here, and not a single person knew about Link. It suddenly occurred to Dark that Link didn't exist to these people. Zelda existed, but not a boy named Link. He knew it wasn't their fault, these people, but it still felt disgusting.

Ashei stood by him, waiting for him to finish up with his sword. Arms crossed, she watched as Fledge ran up to them, a huge grin on his face.

"Sir Dark! I heard you would be here again!" he was beaming as he said this.

"Fledge…. Er, hey there," Dark said, still a bit uncomfortable around him after the whole Dark-Loves-Fledge incident.

Neither one of them got another word out as Ashei spoke up. "Did you finish your reps?" Ashei asked Fledge.

He gave a quick nod. "All 1000 push-ups, sir!"

Dark nearly dropped the cloth he was holding when he heard that. 1000 push-ups? No way.

"Um… Fledge? Did you really do 1000 push-ups?" he asked, wondering if the airhead made a mistake with his numbers.

Fledge's face couldn't be more innocent and honest. "But of course! Don't you do 1000 push-ups as a warm-up every morning?" he asked with a toothy smile. He did not ask that sarcastically at all; his question as genuine.

Dark blinked, then coughed a bit. "Oh yeah, you know…. Well, frankly, 1000 seems a bit low," he said quickly, then got hyper focused on cleaning his blade again. Fledge was simply awestruck. But of course, a trained guard like Dark would be doing more than only a trainee like himself!

Ashei's expression didn't change as she gave him another set to do, not interested in their conversation. "Then, do it once more, before the sparring begins."

"Yes, sir!" Fledge said with spirit. As he ran off to do what he was told, Dark regarded him with curiosity. Fledge didn't seem particularly strong, nor did he seem stronger after the training he was supposed to be going through. He glanced up at Ashei.

"I was wondering…. Why are you training Fledge?" he asked. It seemed to him that Fledge wasn't knight material, even if he could do 1000 push-ups. Was she forced to do it? Asked to do it?

She didn't take long to answer at all. "I offered, because out of everyone here, he has the most potential."

Well, no kidding, especially when it came to brute strength. Dark stopped cleaning his sword to ponder what she said, when the whole area got very quiet. Ashei and Dark saw the cause of this; General Daxton had entered. While no one slowed down their pace, all the laughter and chatter had died down instantly.

"Where is Dame Ashei?!" the general barked out. "I want her front and center, now!" Dark frowned at the tone of voice that man used. What did the sexist want with Ashei? And why did he use an honorific when she herself hated those?

Hearing her name, Ashei stood up a little straighter and strolled over to the general. Dark watched as she approached him, and he began to exchange what seemed to be very harsh words with her. He pointed at Dark, then at her, his mouth going a thousand words per minute.

One of the soldiers near Dark leaned closer to his friend. "Poor Ashei. Getting crap for something she had no control over. Why did that bastard have to come back from the desert?"

"Heard it was for the negotiations with the Labrynna people. Shame the Gerudos didn't slay him while he was out there, though," his friend whispered back. "Then Ashei could take control of the military. She does more work than that jerk, anyways."

Dark pretended he was super interested in his sword again as he strained to hear more, but the pair had gone into more hushed tones. Fledge, having seen Daxton enter the training arena and began to rip Ashei apart about something (most likely about Dark), had stopped his training and took a seat next to Dark, a worried expression on his face.

"I hope nothing bad happened," Fledge said, his leg twitching with nerves and concern. Dark gave an agreeing nod. He did not like Daxton at all, and while Ashei may have kicked his ass in sparring, he had a lot of respect for her by now.

"I agree," he mumbled, as Daxton said his final pieces and stormed off. There was silence for a few moments after he left, and the chatter didn't start back up until Ashei straighten out her armor and returned to where Dark sat.

She folded her arms at Fledge, and that was all he needed to know what she wanted. He gave a tiny bow and ran back to his exercises. With him gone, Ashei spoke. "The general would like you to wait on the sidelines as we train."

What? Dark gripped the hilt of his sword. That man must really hate him for some reason, if he was going out of his way to stop Dark from doing something simple as training. "Why?"

"Those were his orders," Ashei said, and left it at that. She turned to the crowd and gave a wave of her hand for them to finish their preparations and begin the training.

When she wandered away, Dark let out a sigh and put up his sword. Well, so much for staying behind to train a little. But, that shouldn't really be an issue, anyways. No, the real issue is when Link was going to get down here. Victoria had said the princess- and Dark assumed this meant Link- was supposed to be joining them today, but there was no sign of him yet. Where was he? Since he was here, Dark wanted to talk to Link directly.

And hopefully, figure out his feelings.

* * *

><p>Link had woken up even later than usual, and even then still felt groggy. He slept in often, but never this late. The setting of depression.<p>

He was unaware of his own signs of depression, since he couldn't be aware of the source of this yet. How could he? Just yesterday, despite realizing he had feelings for Dark, he had decided it was pointless to pursue. There was no way Dark, a man, could return his feelings. But it still sort of… hurt.

And now he was gone, back to his own country. Link wasn't even sure if he could trust him to keep his secret, but frankly he didn't have much choice. Dark had to be at least a few hours into his journey by now, and there was no way for Link to stop him.

So he would have to trust him. So far, Dark didn't give him a reason yet not to. Link sat in his bed, hair sticking out in several directions. He let out a sigh from the back of his throat, as he shifted his tired, sore legs over the edge of his bed. He leaned his head into his hands, thinking about last night.

Link couldn't believe all that he had revealed to Dark. At first, it was to protect himself, but then it morphed into something much more. Pouring out all of that information, finally telling another living soul after so long… it just felt amazing. Perhaps it was a mistake, but Link didn't feel much regret.

What he did regret, however, was that now he had no sword anymore, and a torn tunic that was now locked away in its usual spot. It was going to be hard to replace it, and even harder to replace the sword. He had no special attachments to either, but it would still make his life difficult, assuming that he still holds his title as champion.

He glanced in the general direction of his hiding spot, imagining the mask that was tucked away. It was old, fading and chipped but distinguishable. And still his fathers. Or, at least it had been once.

There was a light knock on the door, and Pipit peeked in. "Ah, finally the dead one had risen!" Pipit laughed, walking fully into the room. "Zelda was a bit worried, but she asked to let you sleep in today. Well, let's get that hair fixed up, shall we?"

Link gave a small, sleepy nod and properly left his bed. He wandered over to his mirror and table and plopped down in front of it, wishing he could go back to yesterday. Yesterday was a simpler time, so it seemed now. Would he change the things he did if he could go back? He wasn't sure, really. It seemed to work out the way it did.

Maybe he would change the discovery of his feelings. That way, he wouldn't have to feel to empty right now.

Pipit chuckled at the display and picked up the hairbrush from the table, and began to run it through Link's hair. "You should hurry. Miss Victoria thought it would be nice if you watched the troops train today."

"Hmmm." Link didn't really like to watch the troops train. It made him jealous that he couldn't join in. Besides, he sort of just wanted to stay in his room today. He didn't really feel like seeing anyone.

Pipit noticed the lack of excitement from Link, and paused to ponder on what he should say next. He didn't like to see Link down. He had been enjoying the past few days, seeing Link happy, even if Pipit wasn't fond of the cause for this happiness: Dark. Dark wasn't good for Link, Pipit was certain. But right now, Pipit wanted more than anything for Link to feel happiness for the next few weeks.

"By the way," he decided to say, knowing this should cheer him up, "it was decided that Sir Dark will be staying in town for a while longer, at least until the party. He will be representing Labrynna at the ball, and it was easier to keep him in town. In fact, he's down training with the troops as we speak. If you hurry…."

Pipit didn't even get to finished his sentence. Link shot straight up in his chair, eyes wide as he processed this information. Dark… was still here?! He didn't leave to go home yet?! Link's heat began to beat faster, and suddenly his sleepiness vanished.

"Sir Dark is still here?!" Link asked, then realized he sounded _too _excited. He coughed and tried to look casual. "Oh. Well, I better not be rude and go down to greet him for the day."

"Uh-huh. Well, your hair is brushed, so get into your gown and hurry to the training grounds," Pipit told him, not buying Link's 'casual' for a second.

Link didn't have to be told twice. He raced to get ready and flew down the staircase. Zelda peeped out of her room, hearing the commotion. "What the… Why is Link in such a hurry?" she asked Pipit, who was lingering in the hallway between the two rooms, watching Link sprinting to see Dark. He had his hand on his chin, wondering about Link's behavior, but not too lost in thoughts to answer.

"Oh, right, Sir Dark is still here. He's staying here until the party."

Zelda's eyes went wide at the news. "Sir… Dark is still here?" she asked, rather calmly. Her eyes shifted to stare at the floor for a few seconds, before she suddenly closed the door to her room without another word.

It wasn't long before Link was standing at the entrance of the training grounds, panting a little. He smoothed down his dress a bit and strolled in. When he entered, many of the knights and soldiers nearby stopped instantly what they were doing and bowed, smiling at him. He gave them a smile in return. He knew they gave Princess Zelda the upmost respect and love, even more so then their king. Many were awaiting the day when Zelda took the throne; she showed a lot of promise as the next ruler of Hyrule.

And there he was. Sir Dark. He was sitting by in his black tunic, watching the troops training with a look of annoyance on his face. He was rubbing his boot into the ground, occasionally checking the patterns he made in the dirt.

Taking a deep breath, Link approached him quickly. Dark heard light footsteps come towards him, and he glanced towards the sound to see Link there, in a green long-sleeved dress. Upon seeing him, a million more questions and emotions coursed through his body, but he still jumped to his feet. "L… Princess Zelda! Hello," he remembered to call him, giving him a bow.

As Link gave a greeting with a nod of his head to Dark, Dark quickly looked Link over. Damn, he looked so like a woman dressed like that. Link wasn't a particularly masculine looking man, which probably helped him pull off this look. That, and the fact Link seemingly mastered the art of making his voice sound like a woman. Dark has yet to hear Link's real voice, and now he was wondering what it sounded like.

Link indicated that Dark take a seat, and the two of them sat down. Dark tapped his foot with nerves. He hadn't… expected until a while ago to see Link again, and now that Link was sitting right next to him, he was suddenly at a loss for words, a rare, rare thing for Dark. He usually always had something to say, but right now, he didn't know where to start.

It was all certainly awkward for the both of them, but luckily, Link started it for him. "I'm surprise you are still in town," Link said, feeling just as nervous as Dark.

"Me too," he managed to reply, tapping his finger on his leg now. He simply couldn't sit still. They watched as one of the knights won her duel and called for a switch.

Dark glanced around him to see if anyone was nearby, before he began the conversation back up. "It's pretty amazing. I know what you are, but… you really do look like a girl."

"Shhh!" Link instantly hushed him, looking around as well to check their surroundings. Seeing no one close by, he gave a shrug. "This is done carefully. Padding, make-up… it does wonders. I've gotten pretty good at looking the part, I've been doing this for so long."

"Right…" Dark now felt awkward bringing that up at all. He fell silent again and just allowed himself to fidget in his seat.

Crap, his heart was beating wildly. He writhed his hands together and kept his eyes on his feet, not able to really looked at Link right now. He wanted to feel anger towards this boy. He did fall for him when he believed he was a girl, after all. But he couldn't shake his feelings.

Shit, shit, shit.

The two sat there in an epitome of ironic love. It was rather amusing, really, if anyone was watching new the details of the situation. Luckily for either of them, no one close by did.

What could he say next? Should he dig deeper, or give Link a break in all if this? Should he ask what Link plans to do when he can't do this anymore? And how much longer does he have until he can't? He tapped his knee in though, wondering what would be the best course of action.

"So..." Link said quietly, "You really haven't told anybody yet, have you?"

Dark pressed his lips tightly together, and shook his head. "No. I... I won't lie, I'm still shocked, and... well, a bit hurt... But I understand, I guess. And I've decided that I won't tell." Though, Dark wasn't really truly sure of his own reasons quite yet.

Hurt? Well, Link supposed that made sense, considering everything Dark thought he knew was turned upside down. Link casted his eyes down, feeling a bit awful about it. He didn't like to hear that he emotionally hurt the person he cared for.

Unluckily for the both of them, this situation was changed when a unwanted character entered the scene, and instantly took Link's hand while on a bent knee.

Startled, Link drew back, quite clearly, when he saw that the person who did this was the one and only Groose himself. Dark also withdrew a bit. A look of disgust, with a tinge of horror, crossed Dark's face, while Link had managed to work up a pleasant- yet clearly still uncomfortable- smile.

"Er… Sir Groose! I did not see you there," Link managed to say, trying to pull his hand back without much success. In fact, Groose only held on tighter.

"I didn't mean to startle you, princess! I am just glad to see you," he said this with a slight giggle. "Did you come to here to see me train, your majesty?" His sincerity behind the question was borderline humorous.

Link's eye twitched with frustration as he finally managed to free his hand. While in truth he was here to see Dark, he was not about to admit it. "I always like to come watch the troops train, Sir Groose," Link said politely. "Surely you have some training as well?" A not-so-unobvious sign to please leave.

Which sailed completely over Groose's head.

"Of course, my lady! But don't worry, I won't hurt anyone while you are watching," Groose flirted shamelessly.

It was then it occurred to Dark that Groose was smitten with the princess, the same way Dark had been. Only, now Dark knew the princess was a male, and Groose did not. This freakish knight, who had made Dark's life hell for a short time for calling Dark out on a romance that didn't exist with Fledge, was now flirting with a boy. It Dark found rather amusing.

And irritating. Dark frowned further as he cleared his throat to get Groose's attention. Even if Link was a boy, and Dark was still trying to figure out his feelings, he did _not _like Groose touching Link like that. Dark was starting to learn that he may be the jealous type. Something he would cringe at himself for later.

Hearing Dark, Groose had known the boy was there, but had been trying to ignore him. But being interrupted during his private time with the princess was infuriating to him. Besides, Groose knew this boy had to be a criminal. And here he was, sitting so close to his princess. Groose got furious just thinking about it. He couldn't go after Dark right now without evidence, that was for sure. But he could at least tell him to back off for now.

He got off his knee and took a step closer to Dark so he could loom over him. He was literally casting a shadow of Dark. "What is the foreigner still doing here?"

"Sir Dark," Link emphasized Dark's name, not liking the term Groose used for him, "is staying in town until the ball, Sir Groose. Meanwhile, he is doing training."

"Hmph, I heard General Daxton told him that he couldn't train," Groose folded his arms, trying every angle to remove the black-haired annoyance. "You should go back to the inn, _Sir _Dark, since you are no longer the princess's Personal Guard either."

Link had not heard any of this yet, and there was a slight look of surprise on his face as Dark gave a shrug. "The general told Ashei, not me, so your facts aren't all right."

Groose's nostrils flared up with anger, and his hands balled into fists. Dark tensed up a bit, ready to move towards his sword in case Groose decided to get physical. But Groose managed to calmed himself down, and give Link a huge smile.

"Don't worry, Princess, one day I'll be the one at your side," he said.

_Oh, joy, _Link thought sarcastically.

And Dark couldn't take it anymore. This flirting Groose was doing, unknowingly to a boy, it was too much. Even if Dark had been a victim to it too, at least he hadn't been so gross and obvious about it. He let out a chuckle as a huge smirk grew on his face. Link froze hearing the laugh, and realized that something was about to go down now. He knew Groose enough that that laugh was not going to fly.

Groose snapped around. "What's so funny, boy?" he asked in hushed tones, not appreciating being laughed at.

"Oh no, don't mind me," Dark couldn't help saying, "Just laughing."

"At what?" Groose asked, folding his arms.

"None of your business," Dark defended himself, folding his arms as well and puffing out his chest, trying to intimate Groose.

Noticing the display, Groose let out a short growl. "Tell you what, boy, let's duel. You and me. Right now. We never got the chance last time for me to completely dominate you." Groose had some scores to settle with this lowlife that he couldn't hold in anymore.

Dark's old habits kicked in again. "Sure, I don't mind teaching you a lesson," Dark grinned, picking up his sword. "Arena's free over there. Grab your stick, Sir Groose, and let's get this over with."

Link placed his hand over his eyes and sighed as he watched this all dissolve into mass chaos. Lovely, just lovely. Why was this the man he fell for again?

This wasn't going to go well at all.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you to all my reviewers, and people who followedfavorited! It always puts a smile on my face and inspires me to write!**

**Look forward to the next chapter! Chapter 17: Catalyst to Change: The Man in the Cloak?**


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